Coast Guard issues warning on charging phone batteries after California boat fire

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: USA TODAY

Coast Guard issues warning on charging phone batteries after California boat fire
John Bacon, USA TODAY Published 8:24 a.m. ET Sept. 12, 2019 | Updated 11:00 a.m. ET Sept. 12, 2019

The Coast Guard has issued a safety bulletin following the California boat fire that killed 34 people, recommending commercial boat operators limit unsupervised charging of cellphones and other electronic devices.

A preliminary report on the Labor Day fire that destroyed the dive ship Conception near Santa Cruz Island could be issued as soon as Thursday, the National Transportation Safety Board said. The cause of the fire likely won't be addressed, but NTSB members have said how batteries and electronics were stored and charged is being scrutinized.

The Coast Guard said it has convened a Marine Board of Investigation to determine the cause of the blaze. But the bulletin noted that it does not have to await the board's findings before taking "immediate and positive" action.

“In some instances, our marine casualty boards identify pressing safety issues related to vessel stability, the engine room or lifesaving and firefighting equipment,” said Capt. Jason Neubauer, chair of the Marine Board of Investigation. “In those instances, we issue safety alerts or bulletins."
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Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/09/12/coast-guard-warns-charging-phone-batteries-amid-california-boat-fire/2297964001/

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{Edited}

Eugene started a thread on this two minutes earlier in GD:

Coast Guard issues warning on charging phone batteries after California boat fire

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100212458550

[SCVDem]

1. Next great idea?

Fireproof charging stations.

Basically a metal breadbox with usb and cordless ports.

Add a small fire extinguisher on it and get the Coast Guard approval.
$1000 Cheap!

Another idea is like apartment mailboxes. Small fireproof compartments made of metal.

You don't know you need it until you need it.

[jayfish]

2. When Will We Ban Li-ion Batteries? -NT-

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Nope. No reason to. Might as well ban automobiles & knives, which kill many more people. . . . nt

[woundedkarma]

4. When we have a low-cost, lightweight alternative.

[Sapient Donkey]

5. Never?

At most they can make it so they have overcharge protection built into the batteries in specific applications.

[truthisfreedom]

8. The only present alternatives are heavier and larger

LiFePO4 batteries are much much safer but alas, will cut phone life down to 2/3 of lithium ion batteries.

[Skittles]

6. they seem reasonably certain that could be the cause

no way have they proven it yet but they are being cautious

[Baclava]

7. I'm betting they had banks of underwater lights, cameras, videos recorders being charged too

Not just phones

[ChubbyStar]

9. Yep, but what they DIDN'T have was a crew member doing night duty or watch

This is a major infraction of Maritime Law. This very horrific story is going to get worse once the NTSB nails the boat owner. RIP 34 souls lost on the Conception.

[Baclava]

10. Nothing bad ever happens after 2 am

yep, a fire watch would have been handy

[ChubbyStar]

11. It is Maritime Law to have a night watch person from the crew

AWAKE. The entire crew was asleep, this is a HUGE fuck up. Such a tragedy.

[Baclava]

12. Authorities name all victims of dive boat fire

First row, left to right: Lisa Fiedler, Angela Quitasol, Evan Quitasol, Nicole Storm Quitasol, Michael Quitasol and Fernisa Sison, Kaustubh Nirmal and Sanjeeri Deopujari Second row, l-to-r: Andrew Fritz and Adrian Dahood-Fritz, Sunil Sandhu, Yulia Krashennaya and Daniel Garcia, Allie Kurtz, Xiang Lin, Yuko Hatano Third row, l-to-r: Carrie McLaughlin, Raymond "Scott" Chan, Kendra Chan, Wei Tan, Marybeth Guiney, Charles McIlvain, Ted Strom Fourth row, l-to-r: Kristian Takvam, Justin Dignam; Diana Ademic, Berenice Felipe, Steve Salika and Tia Salika, Vaidehi Williams, Patricia Beitzinger and Neal Baltz, Kristy Finstad

https://nypost.com/2019/09/13/authorities-name-all-victims-of-fatal-california-diving-boat-fire/

[ChubbyStar]

13. You should make this an OP

Thanks!