The owner of the vessel "Conception" talked exclusively Tuesday morning with Spectrum News 1 about a
deadly fire on his boat Monday off the Southern California coast.
Below is more from my interview with Fritzler.
Brunell: "What do you want the public to know?"
Fritzler: "I want people to know that there [are] two entrances into the bunking area: a main entrance and an emergency escape hatch. I want people to know that the area, the salon that people enter into the boat to access the area, there were no doors. It's a wide open doorway and no doors. There were no locked doors anywhere ... We did lose a crewman that was below deck, stationed down below decks with passengers, perished as well as best as we know ... That was the only reason that any of the crews survived is they were on the upper deck and the flames reached up there and they had to make a large leap off the boat to escape the boat ... I want them to know that a couple of the crewmen swam to the stern of the boat, that could not access any of the fire hoses because they were engulfed."
Brunell: "I understand that people also think that the mayday calls were made from outside of the boat. Were they made on the dinghy or were they made in the wheelhouse?"
Fritzler: "They were made in the wheelhouse. He made two calls. The second call where you can hear him say, "I can't breathe." That was the second call. At that point he had to jump off the boat. The other crewmen were already off the boat. The captain was the last to leave the boat crying to Radio Coast Guard."
Brunell: "What do you think about the speculations and the people out there who think the crew bailed on the passengers?"
Fritzler: "There is no way. They did everything in their power to help, but the flames just spread. That's the investigation. Nobody understands why this fire spread like it did ... The investigation has to continue, but you know, we're all so surprised. We also have to remember this boat's been in operation since 1981. It's taken thousands upon thousands of people out over that period of time with no fire incidents whatsoever."
Brunell: "Is it surprising to you that so many people were not able to get out? I mean, can a fire spread that quickly on a boat that there would be no time for anyone to leave that bunk area?"
Fritzler: "Yes to both. I am utterly surprised, and the only thing that I can possibly conceive is that people suffocated quickly. The smoke, well I guess it was billowing."
Brunell: "The training that goes into preparing people on a boat for the event of a fire. I mean, how trained are people, are your crew members, to deal with an explosion or a rapidly moving fire?
Fritzler: "They're all well-trained. They're all mariners. They're all trained, and you know, unfortunately we didn't have access to any of the firefighting equipment."
"I'm Numb": Boat Owner on Deadly Fire Near Santa Cruz Island
Thanks for your post w an idea I overlooked.
