Smoke, panic, fear: guests recall escape from burning Singapore-bound ship
South China Morning Post
by CNAFebruary 20, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
A fiery emergency aboard a Singapore-bound cruise ship left passengers and crew in chaos as they scrambled to escape. A fire broke out on deck nine of the World Legacy, a Liberia-registered vessel, while it was en route to Singapore. The blaze was quickly extinguished by marine firefighters from Singapore’s Civil Defence Force, but not before one Indonesian crew member lost his life and several passengers required medical attention.
The incident began in the early hours of Friday when May Lau, a passenger, was abruptly woken by loud knocking on her cabin door. “They told us to get up as soon as we could,” she recalled. “I could smell the smoke in the air and knew there was a problem. We didn’t even have time to take our things.” The fire’s exact cause remains under investigation, but it forced all 271 passengers and crew to evacuate swiftly. Four passengers were taken to the hospital for further checks, while no other injuries were reported among the remaining crew.
The quick response by Singapore’s marine firefighters was crucial in preventing a larger disaster. The ship’s operator has since confirmed that all passengers have been safely evacuated, with medical support provided on-site and during transit. Authorities are now investigating the cause of the fire to ensure such incidents can be prevented in the future. This incident highlights the importance of emergency preparedness and response protocols for maritime operations, especially in densely populated areas like Southeast Asia.
For readers interested in global safety concerns, this story underscores the risks posed by maritime emergencies and the need for robust safety measures. It also raises questions about crew welfare during such crises and the
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Originally published on South China Morning Post on 2/20/2026