HOLIDAY ISLAND

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TSB report into fier three years ago published

The fire on the 'Holiday Island' in Prince Edward Island on July 22, 2022 has led the Transportation Safety Board of Canadato launch a national investigation into ship fires and the responses to them. The board announced its investigation as it released a report, in which, the independent agency said that the crew helped passengers safely down the ferry’s two evacuation slides and into life rafts where they were picked up by local boats. The fire had started in themain engine room after its fuel injection system, whch had been repaired a day before, failed and caused fuel to spray onto the hot engine and ignite. The crew shut down the engine, attempted to close the fuel supply valves and beached the vessel on a nearby sandbar. The crew believed they had activated a carbon dioxide fire suppression system from the ship’s bridge; however, the instructions were unclear and the system was not actually engaged. Initially this went unnoticed, allowing the fire to grow and it wasn’t until 15 minutes later that the crew manually released the CO2. By then the fire had intensified. Despite efforts, it couldn’t be extinguished and the vessel was abandoned until the fire burned out two days later, leaving the ferry damaged beyond repair- A report released nearly one year ago on vessel safety included three recommendations related to crew training, passenger evacuation procedures and the need for accurate passenger counts. But many of these same issued were identified on the 'Holiday Island'. For example, the ship’s captain initially reported 182 passengers on board when the final count was 236. The agency’s report found that the crew aboard the ferry had varying levels of training, and of familiarity with the life-saving equipment, and that it was unclear who was legally responsible for the ferry’s safety. The ferry was operated by Northumberland Ferries but on behalf of Transport Canada. In a statement on July 23, 2025, Mark Wilson, president and CEO of Northumberland Ferries, said the company welcomes the safety board’s findings, adding that 16 corrective actions have already been taken dating back to 2022 to improve the ferry’s performance. These actions included enhancing the emergency training, revising and updating procedures and strengthening operational protocols. The company will work with Transport Canada to ensure that the report’s findings are implemented in a timely and effective fashion. The board recommended that Transport Canada provide better guidance on who is responsible for vessel safety. The board said its national investigation will include consultations with marine operators, firefighting services and ports to improve systemic safety gaps related to ship fires. Over the past 35 years, the safety board has issued nine safety concerns and 10 recommendations related to fire safety, while in the last 10 years nearly 400 fires on commercial vessels have been reported to the agency.

Investigation into fire concluded

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has finished its investigation into the fire aboard the 'Holiday Island' on July 22, 2022. More than 200 people were evacuated from the ferry after a fire broke out in the vessel's engine room at around 11 a.m., about an hour into its crossing from Caribou, N.S., to Wood Islands, P.E.I. The board will now write its report, the agency announced on Sep 28, 2023. After the fire and subsequent evacuation of the vessel during a crossing of the Northumberland Strait more than a year ago, investigators went through photos and videos as well as conducted interviews with people who were on the scene. They have also used the TSB's lab to examine parts from the Northumberland Ferries vessel, exposing them to the same kind of conditions, pressures and temperatures that were present at the time of the fire. Once the report is written and reviewed, it will be made public. The ferry was scrapped because of the amount of damage it suffered in the fire.

No return to service expected after fire

The 'Holiday Island, following the fire in the engine room between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island on July 22, was not expected to return to service. There was been a lot of damage in the engine room as well as in the various spaces adjacent to the vessel. It remained docked in Wood Islands until the insurance process ha been completed. The Transport Safety Board of Canada continues to investigate the cause of the fire.