FAN FAVORITE: Fire at Sea: Cruise Ship Rescue | The Blaze | 1

0:00Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. This episode originally aired aired in 2023.

0:15Muhammad Ali takes a last sip of coffee, stealing himself for another shift in the noisy engine room of the cruise ship Prinzendam. It's just after midnight on October 4th, 1980, and Prinzendam is rumbling southwest through the Gulf of Alaska, en route to its next stop, Japan. Ali misses the strong, bitter coffee of his home country. He's Indonesian, as are many of the 200 crew members aboard the ship. Indonesia is one of the stops on this cruise, and he's hoping he'll get a few hours off to disembark and meet up with old friends. He tosses his coffee cup in the trash, then swings open the door to the engine room and steps onto a narrow catwalk, ready to begin his nightly rounds.

1:09Ali is what's known as an oiler or a greaser. It's his job to do preventative maintenance, making sure all the various parts of the ship's four massive diesel engines are well lubricated and running smoothly. He shares a name with the famous American boxer, Muhammad Ali, but he's no heavyweight. He's short and skinny, all the better for squeezing through the cramped spaces of the engine room. The clatter of the machinery all around him is almost deafening. He can just barely hear an engineer calling him over to help change a fuel filter. It's one of the hundreds of tasks that keep the engine room functioning.

1:53The 319 passengers in the decks above may be fast asleep in their cabins, but the work of the engine crew must continue around the clock. Ali glances up Engines 2 and 3 tower above him on either side Immense blocks of iron and steel that vibrate and rumble with power They use diesel fuel to power the ship's propellers A process that also produces massive amounts of heat That heat is mostly dispersed through the huge smokestack that juts up through the center of the ship but there is still plenty left over to keep the engine room sweltering, even though the water in the Gulf of Alaska is barely above freezing.

2:43Suddenly, Ali notices a flash out of the corner of his eye. He turns and sees blue flames shooting up from an exhaust pipe. He's surprised. These pipes can get scalding hot, but he's never seen one catch fire before. Then he sees the problem. A stream of oil is spurting from a broken supply line and splashing directly onto the exhaust pipe. The pipe is so hot that the oil is igniting on contact, like lighter fluid, on a campfire. Ali watches in horror as tongues of flame dance up the engine parts, climbing higher and higher. He turns and shouts to his co-worker. Fire! Fire! He races back down the catwalk and up a ladder toward the control room.

3:33He needs to report the fire to the officer of the watch, then find a fire extinguisher. And he doesn't have much time. The fire is small now, but in the hot, cramped engine room. It could spread fast, and the lives of all 500 people aboard Prinzendan could be in danger.

3:59The Emmy Award-winning HBO series Hard Knocks training cam brings viewers into the preseason with unparalleled access to the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. Go behind the scenes with Sam Darnold, Jackson Smith and Jigba, and the legendary Darkside defense as they prepare to make another run at the NFL title. See how the best in the world take the hype and pressure head on. Your football fix starts here, with the personalities and challenges that define a championship team. Bonds will be built. Bloopers will be captured. Hard Knocks Training Camp with the Seattle Seahawks, Tuesdays at 9 p.m.

4:35on HBO Max. Minions don't wait, especially for Wi-Fi. Summon same-day Wi-Fi from Xfinity and get the same price for five years. And seeing minions and monsters only in theaters. Xfinity, imagine that. Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. Learn more at Xfinity.com slash same-day Wi-Fi.

4:56From Wondery, I'm Mike Corey. And this is Against the Odds.

5:07In the early morning hours of October 4th, 1980, fire broke out on a Holland America cruise ship called Prinzendam. On board were 200 crew members and 319 passengers, many of whom were elderly. When the fire started, the ship was in open seas off the coast of Alaska, more than 100 miles from land. As the situation grew more desperate, the crew of Princedam did all they could to fight the fire. If they couldn't contain it, the captain might be forced to give the order to abandon ship. And as the remnants of a typhoon approached, the seas were getting rougher by the hour. This is Episode 1, The Blaze.

6:03John Graham stands on a dock in Vancouver, Canada with his daughter Mallory. He gazes up at the cruise ship that will be their home for the next 29 days, Princeton Dam. He squeezes Mallory's hand and he flashes her a smile. What do you think? Mallory eyes the ship skeptically. I thought it would be bigger. Graham has to chuckle at that. She's not wrong. Compared to most cruise ships, Princedam is compact, only about 400 feet long. Her hull is painted navy blue. Her upper decks are pristine white, and her central smokestack is a vibrant shade of orange. Large white wooden lifeboats hang along her upper decks.

6:49To Graham, she looks sleek, elegant, and state-of-the-art. But his 13-year-old daughter is less than impressed. It's late afternoon on Tuesday, September 30th, 1980, and Graham is feeling nervous. Not about the cruise itself, or the places they'll be visiting. Alaska, Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Graham is a former diplomat. He's perfectly comfortable in other cultures. No, he's nervous about spending a month on a ship with his teenage daughter. They've gone on trips together before and always had a great time, but nothing this long. Still, Graham can't believe his luck. He's actually being paid to go on this cruise.

7:36All he has to do is give a few lectures about his experiences in the Foreign Service. Graham and Mallory start making their way up the gangplank. They have to maneuver around several slow-moving elderly passengers as they go. Graham looks at his daughter. Hey, you know, I wasn't much older than you when I took my first trip to sea. Was it on a cruise ship like this one? No, not exactly. I won an essay contest, and the prize was a six-week trip aboard a cargo ship, not as a passenger. I was actually part of the crew. Was the crew as old as these passengers? Graham laughs. Mallory's right. At 38, he figures he's at least 20 years younger than the average age of the passengers around him.

8:22No big surprise, he thinks. This four-week cruise costs upwards of$5 ,000 per passenger. Only wealthy retirees can afford the time and the money. Yeah, sorry kid. I don't think you'll be finding many friends your age here. That's okay, Dad. It'll be good to spend some time with you. Graham squeezes her hand tighter. When Holland America said he could bring a guest, he immediately thought of Mallory. He and Mallory's mom are on the brink of divorce, and so Graham's more determined than ever to strengthen his relationship with his daughter. As they step aboard the ship, they're welcomed by crew members in crisp white uniforms.

9:04A brown-haired woman with a seemingly permanent smile greets everyone with the same line. Get ready for thrills and adventures you'll never forget. The greeting may be a little cheesy, but Graham still feels that familiar rush that always invigorates him before a big trip. Less than a month ago, he quit his job in the Foreign Service. He's done so much in his life. Combat experience in Vietnam, hitchhiking around the world in his 20s, journalism, mountain climbing. But the past few years have left him feeling like a cog in a vast bureaucracy. He wants to do some good in the world, but he's no longer sure what that looks like.

9:47Maybe he can use his time aboard Prinzendam to figure it out. Graham turns to Mallory, but she's no longer next to him. He looks down the hallway to see her darting ahead toward their cabin. He's glad to see that despite her doubts, Mallory seems to be as excited as he is. for whatever adventures lie ahead.

10:16Matthew Osterwick steps onto the bridge deck of Prinzendam for the first time and looks for his new boss, Captain Cornelius Wabika. Osterwick has been hired to serve as second officer aboard Prinzendam, and he's eager to make a good first impression. He spots the captain silhouetted against the windows of the ship's bridge and strides over to greet him. Captain Wobeka, it's an honor to join your crew, sir. Osterwick, I was told you'd be joining us. And they promoted you to second officer. Congratulations. Sorry to drag you away from the St. Martin Sun. Osterwick is based in the Dutch Caribbean.

10:57This will be his first time sailing to Alaska. He nods and smiles. Happy to be here, sir. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Wabika smiles back, then waves over another officer named Simon, who will take him on a tour of the ship. Osterwick falls in step behind Simon, eager to explore. The two officers exit the bridge, moving toward the stern. They walk past passenger and crew cabins, then down a grand staircase to the promenade deck. Simon points out the numerous amenities on this level. A terrace restaurant overlooking a swimming pool, a duty-free shop, a movie theater, and a spacious lounge.

11:41Osterwick is impressed. For a relatively small luxury liner, Prinzendam seems to offer everything its well-heeled passengers could want. One level below the promenade is the main deck. Here, Simon shows Osterwick a large formal dining room with starched white tablecloths. From there, they continue down a passageway with more passenger cabins lining each side. Osterwick looks up. This is the third deck we've seen, and I still haven't spotted a single sprinkler head. Simon doesn't stop walking. Don't need him. This ship was built after new international regulations came into effect. It's made with non-combustible materials, and we have a robust fire detection system, so we don't need sprinklers.

12:28If a fire breaks out, we can seal off any part of the ship and then flood it with carbon dioxide. That'll snuff out any fire before it can spread. Osterwick nods, satisfied with the response. Holland America builds strong, safe ships, and Prinzendam really is state-of-the-art. He follows Simon down to the next deck, ready to discover more.

12:56Susan Stevens stands in the lounge area of Prince and Dam's dining room, flashing a smile as guests arrive for the 8 p.m. dinner seating. As the cruise hostess, it's her job to make sure every passenger is comfortable and entertained. She greets the guests, asks for their names, and checks them against the list of passengers who have been invited to dine with Captain Wabika and his wife. Stevens notices a woman standing alone, a glass of white wine in her hand. Most passengers tonight are dressed casually, but this woman is decked out in an expensive-looking navy blue gown, her diamond jewelry sparkling in the light.

13:38Stevens approaches. I hope you're enjoying your cruise so far. I'm sure I will once we actually start cruising. What's the holdup? We're going to depart right on schedule, in about 45 minutes. In the meantime, can I get your name, please? What for? I want to see if you're on the guest list for the captain's table. The woman wrinkles her nose. My dear, I don't dine with my chauffeur. I am not about to eat with a man who drives a ship. Stevens politely excuses herself, shrugging off the woman's rudeness. She's been doing this job for years, and she's seen it all. At 8 o 'clock, she gently ushers all the passengers into the dining room and into their assigned seats.

14:22Once everyone's settled in, she glides from table to table, listening to passengers gush over the menu. Out the windows, she can see some passengers leaning over, waving their final goodbyes to bystanders on the pier. The sky is dark now, but the ship's floodlights illuminate the deck. For a moment, she steps outside to feel the damp air and say a quiet goodbye to land. Beneath her feet, she can feel the unmistakable vibration as the ship's engines rumble to life. Princeton Dam is headed out to sea.

15:07Richard Steele tries to stifle a yawn. It's 10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 1st, the cruise's first morning out to sea. Richard and his wife Louise have assembled with other passengers on the promenade deck for a mandatory lifeboat drill. Richard had hoped that the fresh air would sweep away his jet lag, but no luck. Instead, the warm sun is making him even sleepier. The Steeles flew in yesterday from their home in Worcester, Massachusetts, just in time to board the ship. They spent their first night in their cabin tossing and turning. Richard half wishes he was back in the office today. He's the publisher of Worcester's Daily Newspaper.

15:51The country is just weeks away from a presidential election. An exciting time in the news business. But Louise had planned this trip for months, and he couldn't disappoint her. So here he is, literally out to sea for four weeks, with no newspapers, no phone, no radio. He looks over at Louise, who is also yawning. We both need some coffee. I'm trying to pay attention. Richard removes his glasses and rubs his eyes, then puts them back on and tries to focus on the lifeboat drill. He looks up at lifeboat number four, the one he and Louise are assigned to. The long wooden boat has been lowered halfway to the promenade deck by electric pulleys.

16:37A crew member leading the drill reaches up to smack the lifeboat's hull and explains it can hold almost 100 passengers. Five other lifeboats, with varying capacities, are also on board. The crew member raises his voice to be heard above the hum of the engines. Besides the six lifeboats, Prince and Dem also has two tenders with motors. Richard fights off another yawn as the crew member drones on. He really needs a nap. Louise sidles up next to him. You know, Richard, this drill is making me superstitious. Remember that postcard I mailed to our grandson before we boarded? I wrote on the back, I just hope it doesn't sink.

17:18Richard pats Louise's hand. As a newsman, he knows that disasters can strike, even aboard ships as sturdy as this one. But no need to tell Louise that. I wouldn't worry about that. Remember, boats were made to float. Richard steps toward the railing of the deck and glances west at the horizon. He looks down at the water. The ocean is calm today. They should arrive in Alaska tomorrow morning. He's glad he put on his windbreaker, though. The air is getting colder. He wonders what he should do today while they're at sea. The activity sheet that appeared beneath his cabin door this morning outlined a whole list of options.

18:00Shuffleboard. A lecture about Alaska. even skeet shooting off the boat's fantail. Just then, the crew member blows a whistle. Richard turns to see the lifeboat slowly creeping back up to its cradle high up on the ship. Well, he thinks, that's the last time we need to worry about that.

18:35Jeannie Gilmore takes a gulp of cold Alaska air. She realizes that she's been holding her breath, trying to stay as quiet as possible while she takes in the view. It's October 3rd, the fourth day of their cruise, and Princedam is gliding silently through the still waters of Glacier Bay. The captain has turned off the ship's engines, so the passengers can better enjoy the moment. Glacier Bay. What a fitting name, she thinks. On both sides of the channel, walls of ice emerge out of the aquamarine water. Beyond them stand snow-covered mountains. The whiteness is almost blinding. Jeannie squints and looks up.

19:27A bald eagle is circling high above them. Her mother, Neva, stands beside her. Jeannie can see she is also in awe. Photos really don't do this place justice, do they? Not at all. I'm so glad we're here to see all of this in person. Neva is 77, but she's still as spry as ever. In fact, it was her idea to take this trip. Six years earlier, they went on a cruise through Southeast Asia and had a wonderful time, stopping in places like Bali and Sumatra. Princedam had been their ship on that cruise as well. Jeannie had figured that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but then, a few months ago, Neva held up a Holland America brochure and said, Let's do it again.

20:22Jeannie couldn't say no. Even though her mother is in good health, who knows how much longer she'll be able to take a trip like this. So Jeannie arranged a one-month sabbatical from her teaching job in Northern California and said goodbye to her husband Bill. As they gaze out over Glacier Bay, the sun breaks through the clouds and the light makes the glacier sparkle. The ice is a thousand different shades of white, blue, and turquoise. Suddenly, a huge piece of ice shears off and crashes into the water below. Jeannie and her mother gasp and wait for the waves to reach the ship. Jeannie feels the deck sway gently beneath her feet.

21:10Neva clutches her arm. My goodness, I'm glad we weren't any closer to that. Jeannie reaches her arm over Neva's shoulders and pulls her close. She feels blessed to witness all this beauty alongside her mother.

21:32Matthew Osterwick steadies himself as waves crash against Princedam's port bow. It's late afternoon on Friday, October 3rd, and Osterwick is off duty, enjoying a brisk walk around the promenade deck. It's easy to get sedentary on this ship, so Osterwick tries to stretch his legs several times a day. He's just rounding the far end of the deck when he feels that telltale drop in his stomach as the ship crests, then falls. After spending several hours in Glacier Bay, Princedam has just entered the open sea. The sheltered waters of Glacier Bay were calm, But out here, it's a different story. The ship is equipped with stabilizers, meant to minimize the rolling from side to side.

22:24But Osterwick knows that no technology can truly negate the effect of nature. Another wave slaps against the port bow as he braces himself against the railing and surveys the water. They're in what mariners call a confused sea, with swells from a distant source coming in one direction and waves driven by local winds coming in another. It's making Prinzendam pitch and roll unpredictably. Whitecaps appear, then vanish as the ship lurches through them. Osterwick is used to rough seas, but he figures some of the passengers might start to feel a little queasy soon. A grey-haired man walking past catches his eye.

23:09This is a little choppy, isn't it? A bit. Nothing unusual for these waters, though. But if the wind picks up, the ride could get bumpier. Bumpier? Well, that wouldn't be very fun. The passenger excuses himself and makes his way carefully down the deck, gripping the railing as he goes. Osterwick takes a last look at the horizon before heading inside. He didn't want to tell the passenger what he saw in the latest weather report. Sometime in the next 24 hours, Princeton Dam will sail into the remnants of a typhoon. The sea may be rough now, but it's nothing compared to what they'll face then.

24:00Jeannie Gilmore fingers her pearl necklace as she sips her wine. She feels a little odd, seated alone in the large main dining room. Then again, she's not the only person dining solo. Only six other passengers have made it to dinner, and most of them are sitting by themselves too. Everyone else must be feeling as seasick as her mother. Neva had tried to dress for dinner, despite her queasiness. When Jeannie suggested that she just rest in the cabin, Neva looked relieved. Jeannie is a little worried about her mom. On the other cruise they took together, Neva never showed a trace of seasickness, but they also never encountered seas this rough.

24:45For some reason, the pitching and rolling of the ship hasn't affected Jeannie's appetite. She ate the whole meal and enjoyed every bite. She calls out to a passenger at a nearby table. An older man, who's also dining alone. What a delicious dinner, right? It's a shame there are so few people here to enjoy it. The man looks at her and grins. Yeah, there's going to be a lot of hungry people on this boat in a few hours, but not us. Jeannie can hear the band start to play in the lounge next door. Maybe a little music will help pass the time and relax her before bed. She gets up, wishes the other passenger a good evening, and heads towards the lounge, steadying herself against the wall as the ship rolls.

25:31The lounge is set up like an intimate cabaret theater, with little round tables and padded swivel chairs surrounding a small stage. When Jeannie stumbles in, trying to keep her balance, she sees that she's the only passenger. On stage are a group of musicians in tan suits, playing a jazz tune. Jeannie is about to slide into a chair in the front row when suddenly the violinist puts down his instrument, turns his head, and vomits. The other musicians blanch, looking like they may do the same. Jeannie decides that's her cue. She gets up and heads back to her room to check on her mother. Tonight's entertainment may have been a bust, but the cruise is just getting started.

26:19As soon as the waters get calmer and everyone gets over their seasickness, there'll be plenty of time for fun.

26:31Muhammad Ali dashes through Prince and Dam's cramped, noisy engine room. He needs to find a fire extinguisher and alert the other crew members about what he's just seen. An oil fire between engines two and three. He reaches the ladder that leads up to the control room and clambers up as quickly as he can. At the top, he throws open the door and yells to the crew members inside. There's a fire in engine two. Oil leak. Ali doesn't wait for them to react. He grabs a dry powder fire extinguisher clipped to a bulkhead and races back down the steps. He feels sweat beating on his neck. In the few moments he was away, the fire has not slowed down.