Three people died Thursday as the result of a fire in the engine room of a cruise ship docked here in the capital of St. Lucia.
Killed were two contractors and a member of the crew of the Insignia, a port authority spokesman in Castries told the media.
Investigators suspect they may have died from smoke inhalation, but autopsy results will not be available until next week, the spokesman said.
Port officials said arrangements are being made to fly as many Insignia passengers as possible out of St. Lucia via charter.
The St. Lucia Fire Service received a call around 9:25 a.m. Thursday reporting that a blaze had broken out in the engine room of the cruise ship.
Firefighters and port officials quickly brought the fire under control and prevented it from spreading to other parts of the port.
“We will continue to gather information and release it to you as soon as practicable. Once we have confirmed information, it will be provided,” port officials and the fire service said in a joint statement.
The Insignia, which is operated by Oceania Cruises, left San Juan on Monday for a 10-day cruise around the Caribbean.
Built in 1998, the Insignia was refurbished this year and has 684 double-occupancy cabins
