More than 200 people were safely evacuated from a ferry traveling from Nova Scotia to Prince Edward Island on Friday after a fire broke out in the ship’s engine room.
The fire broke out aboard the MV Holiday Island around 11 a.m., about an hour after sailing from Caribou, NS, to Wood Islands, PEI.
“The ship’s crew and safety systems contained the fire,” said Don Cormier, vice president of Northumberland Ferries. “The captain took the necessary precautions and dropped both anchors and steered the vessel onto a soft shoal outside the harbor entrance at Wood Islands.”
Cormier said no passengers or crew were injured. The rest of Friday’s sailings were canceled because MV Holiday Island was blocking the way for the company’s other ship, MV Confederation.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is investigating the cause.
Passengers are loaded onto Myles MacDonald’s fishing boat from the orange lifeboat structure deployed from the passenger deck of Holiday Island. (Submitted by Brian Rogers)
Myles MacDonald, an auxiliary member of the Coast Guard who also fishes for crabs and scallops off the Wood Islands, rushed to the scene in his boat when he heard the ferry was on fire.
It pulled up next to Holiday Island as passengers descended an evacuation chute into a rubber boat. From there, they boarded their fishing boat.
“Everybody’s gotten along pretty well. It’s a miracle,” MacDonald said.
Everyone was getting along pretty well. It’s a miracle, Myles MacDonald
MacDonald made two trips ashore with a total of 113 of the 225 people he was told were on board.
Other rescue vessels, including the Coast Guard and Halifax Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, arrived to help transport the others. Their vehicles and luggage had to be left behind, however.
Virginia Clark-Druhan of Dartmouth was one of the rescued passengers.
“We were enjoying our trip and starting our vacation, looking forward to landing in PEI, and we started smelling smoke,” he said. “And when we got out, we looked out. And when we looked out, there was a lot of black smoke coming out of the engine room from the top of the chimney.”
He said the evacuation went well, with support from many different services.
Smoke billows from the NS-PEI ferry
The ferry between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island is being evacuated Friday morning after smoke was seen coming from the vessel. Video submitted by Meg Elliott.
“But, I have to say, sitting in that life raft with, like, two feet of water under our feet wasn’t ideal, that’s for sure.”
Clark-Druhan said there was “a bit of panic” from some passengers, including those with children and pets.
“Also, the kids themselves were worried – a lot of noise, alarm bells, etc. So, yeah, it was worrying for the people on board, for sure.”
“Glad to be in PEI”
He said it was comforting that they were so close to shore when the fire broke out.
“We knew help would come. It was just a matter of being patient and waiting for things to happen. But, you know, I have to say, I’m glad to be in PEI, walking the red road.”
Shaun MacLaughlin of Westville, NS, said he was traveling back to Nova Scotia from a family vacation in PEI when he saw the fire from the ground.
The view from a rescue boat as passengers are evacuated from Holiday Island. The large orange structure is an inflatable slide that carried people to a rescue boat. (Submitted by Frank Makk)
He was close enough to hear the announcements being made on MV Holiday Island as they inflated the ramps to evacuate passengers to the lifeboats, he said.
“As soon as we got to the terminal … you could see a lot of heavy black smoke from Holiday Island, which was sitting next to the pier, and the gentlemen at the booth said things were not right and that we should turn. around,” he said.
MacLaughlin said he and his family now plan to drive home, using the Confederation Bridge at the other end of Prince Edward Island.
A fisherman called hero
Some people say MacDonald is a hero for rescuing passengers on his fishing boat.
“Absolutely not,” was his reply to this. “Just doing what you gotta do.”
MacDonald said there were many people involved in the rescue who deserve credit, including the captain, deckhands and first responders.
Passengers from the MV Holiday Island are seen after being evacuated from the MV Holiday Island following a fire on the ship. (Submitted by Meg Elliott)
“It was great to see everyone work so well together … Every fire department from Vernon River to Souris was there,” he said.
“The most important thing is that everyone got off safely. Anything can be replaced. Cars, trucks, boats. As long as people don’t get hurt, that’s the most important thing. As soon as the captain announced that all the passengers were out, it was kind of a relief.”
The Prime Minister offers assurances
In a press release, PEI Premier Dennis King thanked the rescue teams and health workers who were ready to deal with any injuries.
The ferries are owned by Transport Canada and operated by Northumberland Ferries.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who visited PEI on Friday, said he spoke with King and offered assurances.
“We discussed how we will resume this ferry service as soon as possible given the importance of these ferries to the tourist season here in PEI,” Trudeau said. “Please know that we are there and our hearts go out to all those affected.”
Please note that all remaining Northumberland Ferries sailings are canceled on Friday 22nd July due to an emergency with MV Holiday Island. We are currently safely evacuating passengers and crew and there are no known injuries. We apologize for the inconvenience.
—@PEIFerries