A passenger cruise ship the "Ecstasy," was beginning a four-day trip departing from the Port of Miami, Florida to Cozumel, Mexico. The ship was carrying 2557 passengers and 920 crewmembers. Minutes after departure a fire was reported to have started in the laundry area, which was located on Deck 2 of the ship. The type of fire was a Class A – Common combustible fire. The fire was started from an arc-welding rod that reportedly ignited combustible lint in and around the mangle (pressing and folding machine). Smoke began to spread above and below the laundry area on deck numbers 1 through 5. More smoke and fire were discovered on the aft mooring deck 4. Pallets of polypropylene rope apparently fueled this fire, which would also be classified as a Class A – Common combustible fire.
             The Coast Guard and other fire-fighting vessels were dispatched to the ship's location, which was about 2.7 miles northeast of Miami Beach. The ship had also lost control of propulsion systems and began to drift northward. The combination of the ship's fire brigade and the fire-fighting vessels brought the fire under control around 7:15 p.m.; the vessel was then towed back to the Port of Miami. On the ship sprinklers were activated on Decks 3 through 7. Sprinklers tired to cool the fire by removing heat to help control the fire. The fire was also fought with water, by the other vessels spraying the water from their ships with their hoses and the ships fire-fighting brigade. By trying to put the fire out with water from the vessels and the fire-fighting brigade they are trying to remove the heat from the fire, breaking the chain reaction to extinguish it. The ship was still able to float even though it took on considerable water damage, but could it not run.
             The ship was carrying 2557 passengers and 920 crewmembers. A few passengers and crewmembers required medical attention and were transported to local hos...