On June 26, 2022, about 0930 local time, a fire broke out in a stateroom on board the towing vessel Mary Dupre, which was pushing one barge of bio-diesel fuel (pyrolysis fuel oil) on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near Freeport, Texas. Nearby Good Samaritan towing vessels retrieved the barge from the Mary Dupre, extinguished the fire, and evacuated the four crewmembers. There were no injuries, and no pollution was reported. The towing vessel was deemed a total constructive loss estimated at $1 million.
We determined that the probable cause of the fire aboard the towing vessel Mary Dupre was undetected cracks in the starboard muffler that allowed exhaust gases from an operating engine to escape and ignite wooden structures affixed to the common bulkhead of an accommodation space. Contributing to the extent of the fire damage was the substantial use of combustible materials in the joinery, outfitting, and furnishings in the accommodation spaces.