Oceanside couple’s cruise interrupted by fire

Imagine that you’re on a cruise ship, docked at Port Castries, Saint Lucia, in the Caribbean. It’s 8:30 in the morning, and you’ve just sat down to breakfast, when suddenly the kitchen staff runs off the ship, leaving you there with your juice and coffee.

That’s what happened to Jerome and Jerilyn Goldchain of Oceanside, who were aboard the Oceania Insignia on Dec. 11 when a fire broke out in the ship’s engine room. “The lights went out and the cooks ran like rats leaving a sinking ship,” Jerome recounted. “Then the captain came on the loudspeaker, saying the fire doors were closed and we should remain where we were.”

They sat for about 45 minutes, watching people run by, some with oxygen cylinders. Finally they were allowed to leave the ship, only to stand on the dock with the other guests, and watch ambulances come and go. Jerome said they were never given an order to evacuate or abandon the ship. A short time later, people were allowed to return to the vessel, so the Goldchains went back to their cabin to get their passports and other documents. “There was smoke everywhere, and the cabin smelled,” said Jerilyn.

While they were in their cabin, the fire apparently re-erupted, said Jerome.

Then the captain ordered them to abandon ship.

Jerome recalled that many of the passengers, including him and his wife, were dressed only in bathing suits. After they left the ship, they were herded into what Jerilyn described as a warehouse, where they spent the next 12 hours. Late that night, a Carnival cruise ship, docked nearby, provided them with ham sandwiches and drinks.

The couple learned that the ship’s doctor was a podiatrist who had fled the scene. Fortunately there was an Army doctor on board, who had recently returned from Afghanistan. She stayed to treat and help the passengers — many of whom were elderly — and Jerome described her as the hero of the day.

“You would think the crew would be better trained,” he said. “But the cruise director kept making announcements, while we sat for hours in our bathing suits.” He said he saw three bodies being taken from the ship, in addition to some people on stretchers. The couple complimented the local fire department on its response.