Carnival Ship Catches Fire After Lightning Strike

Editorial Summary

Doug Parker reports on a smoke stack fire involving the Carnival Freedom on Saturday, March 23. While the vessel previously underwent a funnel replacement following a fire two years ago, this recent incident involved flames emerging from the ship's funnel. Reports from Carnival Cruise Line and eyewitnesses suggest a lightning strike may have caused the fire. Passenger Heath Barnes provided footage showing flames coming from the funnel, which was visible from his balcony. The ship's fire team responded quickly, and the captain maneuvered the vessel into a heavy rain area to assist in extinguishing the flames. The fire was fully extinguished by 5:20 with no injuries reported. Although the ship was originally scheduled to stop at Princess Keys, inclement weather prevented that stop, and the vessel spent the day at sea. The Carnival Freedom is currently en route to Grand Bahama Island. Passengers reported that everyone remained safe and dinner was in progress during the event, though travelers were advised to avoid open decks. The incident has not impacted the next cruise.

Written by TripBacon from this video's transcript.