A blaze that broke out in the engine room of a towing vessel on the Lower Mississippi River was probably caused by an engine lube oil leak that ignited off a hot surface near the starboard main engine turbocharger. That’s according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which has completed its investigation into the September 12, 2018 incident.
The towing vessel Jacob Kyle Rusthoven was pushing nine barges southbound near West Helena, Arkansas when the fire began. As it spread, three of the barges broke away from the tow, and one rolled over and lost its cargo.