Fire Incident on Carnival Freedom's Funnel: Incident on 23 March 2024

On 23 March 2024, the cruise ship Carnival Freedom, operated by Carnival Cruise Line, experienced a fire in the portside section of its exhaust funnel while navigating approximately 20 miles off Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas. The fire, triggered by a lightning strike in the afternoon, was contained and extinguished by the ship's fire response team within two hours; no serious injuries were reported among passengers or crew.

The incident occurred during a 4-day Bahamas itinerary. Following the fire and necessary safety inspections, Carnival Freedom proceeded to Freeport as scheduled the next day. However, two subsequent voyages were cancelled to allow for repairs and comprehensive safety checks.

The fire began at approximately 15:15 EST and was reported to have been triggered by a lightning strike. Visible damage occurred to the ship's funnel, with debris falling onto Deck 10. The ship's fire response team contained and extinguished the fire by 17:20 EST. Two crew members received treatment for minor smoke inhalation; no passengers were injured.

Fatalities

• None reported.

Injuries

• 2 crew members treated for minor smoke inhalation.

Rescued

• All passengers and crew remained safely onboard; no evacuation was required.

The ship's fire response team responded immediately to the lightning-strike fire and successfully contained and extinguished it within two hours. Following the incident, the vessel proceeded to Freeport, Bahamas, arriving as scheduled on 24 March 2024.

A scheduled stop at Princess Cays was cancelled due to weather conditions. Following the fire incident, two subsequent voyages scheduled for 25 March and 30 March 2024 were cancelled to allow for necessary repairs and comprehensive safety checks. Affected passengers received full refunds and future cruise credits.