The NTSB report on the Roger Blough fire and disaster 

Having read the NTSB report on the Blough, I believe their findings and recommendations are sound. Amazing that small omissions and errors led to an estimated 100 million in damages. I work in the fire containment industry. The cost of a thermally activated fuel line shutoff is minimal to say the least.

As sad as it is that the Blough is out of commission, I'm glad the Phillip R. Clark gets its chance to sail. Might be a chance that the Callaway can get back out on the lakes again, too. The AMA and John G. Munson have also been very busy. It's great to see the old lakers busy again.

This is sad. I initially thought they'd repair it, but after hearing the cost of the damage, and also how bad the economy is getting, I'm doubtful the Blough will ever set sail under its own power again.

I hope the Blough will sail again, what a beautiful and historic lake boat! It always pains me when classic lakers are scrapped. My favorite was the Ernest R. Breech (Ojibway) and that is currently in Port Colborne for scrapping. I'd hate to see another one go so soon. Thanks for the updated NTSB information! As mentioned, at least the Clarke is sailing again!

This hits home to me as many years ago I worked at the restaurant that burned to the ground one night due to delayed ignition of an oil burner. I did heating and cooling for many years and this kind of surprises me that there wasn't a more robust mounting system on that, not to mention an automatic fuel line shut off. But I don't know the regulations so who knows.

Interesting piece Wes. A good example - easily understood - of complex system failure i.e. lining up the holes in the cheese slices. And like most analyses in aviation incidents and other complex system failure the old human error crops up. Any incident like this is sad and bad on many levels.

Another great video and a great shirt. Thanks for sharing. 💚

Thanks for posting this.

Sorry to hear and see this. I love your channel thank you very much for helping to explain this situation. Also happy veterans and Remembrance Day!

Status Update: The Blough was towed within the last few days to Conneaut for storage layup. Probably will stay there until CN sells the fleet.

That oil burner looks familiar to any HVAC service technician who works on them, common equipment that burns #2 fuel oil for residential installations. What is astonishing is how a small furnace only used to heat parts of the ship during layup could bring down a mighty vessel such as the Rodger Blough and cause $100 million in damages! My guess is the heating contractor they called in and who last touched it will be blamed, fairly or unfairly.

Very good, very interesting, well presented - Thanks ! ! ! 🙂😎👍

The Roger Blough now sits in a real nice layup spot in Conneaut about a half mile from where I live. Theres a nice overlook area where folks can come to see her. I was there yesterday for a half hour or so. She'll get alot of attention here in Conneaut.

The Roger Blough is beautiful I hope and Pray she continues her Mighty career.

thanks for the update Wes, is there something wrong with the Cort this year?

Very nice presentation sir.

Its astonishing that the number 2 keeper wasn't on the list. And since CN plans to sell the Great Lakes Fleet I doubt they will be very interested in repairing the Roger Blough. She has been and will be missed.

Thank you very much. I feel that reading the findings helps understand how it could've happened. I am a a true believer in because I wasn't there I won't make any comment other than its truly very very sad.

You should add sheer to a model ship if your still making them and if it isn’t too difficult.

When you say the economy is in the sewer, are you referring to nationwide or specifically with regards to lake shipping?

Wonder if they could cut off the stern and attach a new aft section? Keep the rest of the ship.

Great video

Do any of these freighters still run under stram power? If they do are they steam turbine engines or actual piston steam engines? Appreciate your videos we love these old freighters ovdr here im Delaware

Wes now approaching April 1st 2024 do you know if there’s any further information on this Great Lakes Freighter? Many seasons of my Early Life childhood and later years I Spent in the Presque Isle Area(zip 49777) seeing it’s familiar lines as it rounded Up or down bound Presque Isle harbor North / South Albany Point or North Bay, was always one of my favorite memories!

I seems to me that a more secure mounting or a stand for the burner to be mounted on should have been in place.

Extremely disheartening. I can't believe I hadn't heard of this earlier.. Well, almost time for lay-up again, but it doesn't seem like one season is enough time to effect repairs, if indeed such repairs are economically feasible.

Very sad blough was my favorite laker

Hey, Wes. Did you know that the Blough was one of the rescue ships of the Edmund Fitzgerald? According to the story, her crew found one of the Fitz's lifeboats.

I've been a welder for many years at a military contractor I wonder if all the heat from the fire shocked the steel and made it brittle

Fire is one of the worst things that could happen aboard ship.⚓⚓⚓

Roger Blough was recently towed to Conneaut. Does this mean that it will be repaired or scrapped?

With the Great Lakes Fleet up for sale, my guess is that the current owners (Canadian National) will just wait, and let whomever the new owners are make the final call. The initial damage estimate was something like $20M. At $100M... I don't see them fixing her. That is a massive investment on a 50 yo hull, in a time when the Stewart J. Cort was in layup until very recently due to lack of cargoes. Uck... this sucks.

No one seems to have the cost of the new Mark W Baker since Interlake is a private company. $100 million for rebuild seems a lot to swallow for a 50 year old ship. The Canadian companies buy new foreign ships for a lot less. Even though they're public, they too are cagey about the actual costs. I found a range of vague estimates from $35 mil, $50 mil to 9 ships for about a billion. Other ship sites estimate the cost of a US built ship (Jones Act compliant) to be 3X the cost. It looks like, unless the high estimate is right, it would make more sense to build new.

Fire at her beginning and now possibly causing her ending.

Hello Wes!

100 million dollars ? thats the total cost of a ship the size as the ever ace ?

As a guy that has attempted to fix things before calling a repair specialist, I get the idea to try to solve the issue. Especially when it may seem as an easy fix. That being said and hindsight is 20/15. When dealing with someone else's property and a vessel worth 100's of millions of dollars. Always call a repair man first or your boss. Better to ask forgiveness for the repair bill then have to explain why your actions "MAY" have contributed in destroying their ship! I am betting someone lost thier job over this one! If not a couple of someone's! Sad chain of events. Trying to do your job and inadvertently contribute to the cause of a fire. Even though the NTSB doesn't lay blame on anyone, I guarantee the company did.

I sure hate seeing these classic ships leaving our lakes. Seems like missing a good friend

I was hoping to get the pleasure of seeing her in person but I guess that won’t happen. She is beautiful and unique. I miss not seeing her. 😢

What is going to happen to the boat?

Well I read. Sounds like the furnace install company saved $12 on a burner firomatic and $13 on the pedestal for the burner. Good job cheap HVAC company! You’re $25 richer minus lawyer fees to follow. Hard to say how many companies the owners got bids from. Would be interesting to see if they went with cheapest company possible.

I really hope they get her going again…. She is a beautiful soul…. It is an amazing looking ship!

You’d think the guy on the boat would be the first one notified.

Hello Guys Could anyone tell me if the Roger Blough has sisters? And what year they were built 1972? Beautiful ships ! Roger Blough is one of my 3 favorite Laker's The other two being One of the oldest girls out there, the Alpena. And my favorite tender is Arthur M Anderson. "John"

That sad a great ship of the lakes caught fire. It's too bad it will cost over a million dollars to get her fixed. She'll be dormant until the day she sails again or she's get scrapped. May she rest in peace.

Knowing Great Lakes fleet, she will probably sail under her own power after a repair. She is a massive ship and to scrap her would cost a fortune.

Though you were handling a submarine sandwich. Looked good.

My hopes for her and the Callaway returning to service are very low, i bet thwy will go to Coleborn or Duluth and get scrapped

that"s what we call an accident. Shame if that big girl goes to her end over this.

This is really sad wonder if the company that owns the blough will take donations from people who want to help to get this ship sailing again I'm sure I'm not the only one who would hate to see this hero ship go to the scrap yard we need to keep it alive after what it did to try to rescue the Fitzgerald rescue and search party during that storm the blough was one of many vessels that went out we need to keep it going just sad that this happened to begin with sucks cause I loved the Roger blough

A view from the recliner. Therefore are always suspicious. I've seen too many restaurants and out her building suddenly catch on fire when they loose money. Some were even in the early process of being remodeled. A spark from a welder or loose fuel lines. The German luxerly liner in N.Y. Harbor during the war was thought t.o be a welder's spark. I hope it was a real accident. She was my favorite boat and that of many others.

The NTSB REPORT on the fire is everywhere and public. Read it directly to avoid personal and unqualified opinions.

Damages in excess of $100,000,000.00 ?? No way. Not unless the ship was a total loss and half the port facility burnt down. The vessel itself isn't worth anywhere near that amount.

It’s official she’s going to the scrapyard

how can the economy be in the sewer ? the "news" said it is great !

At least it was laid up were they could still get help