A crew member has died and four passengers were hospitalized after a fire broke out aboard the World Legacy cruise ship near Singapore early Friday morning.
The cruise ship fire started around 4 a.m. on deck nine while the vessel was anchored at Raffles Reserved Anchorage. Singapore Civil Defence Force marine firefighters responded and were able to contain the fire to a single deck.
There were 271 passengers onboard at the time. All were safely evacuated to HarbourFront Ferry Terminal. Authorities said 139 of the passengers were Singaporean nationals.
The vessel was also carrying 388 crew members, all foreign nationals. One crew member, identified as an Indonesian national, later died. Officials said the Indonesian embassy has been notified. The cause of death has not been publicly detailed.
Four passengers were taken to a local hospital for medical assessment. Their conditions have not been released.
Fire Cause Under Investigation
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. Officials have not confirmed where or how the blaze started.
A safety zone has been established around the ship while investigators and classification surveyors assess damage and conduct inspections. A core crew remains onboard to support essential operations.
The ship will not be cleared to sail again until it passes full safety checks.
Impacted Cruises
The company said affected guests will receive refunds and that passengers booked on impacted sailings are being contacted directly.
The World Legacy offers short sailings between Singapore and Johor, Malaysia, with more than 300 cabins and onboard amenities including specialty dining, lounges, private karaoke suites, live entertainment, and a casino.
Operator World Cruises describes it as “Singapore and Johor’s first true lifestyle playground at sea.” The company said it is cooperating fully with authorities and will refund guests booked on any impacted sailings.
