Royal Caribbean Ship Catches Fire

[Jason]

A Royal Caribbean cruise ship had a fire on board, forcing the passengers to go into their emergency drill positions.

The fire started as the ship, called the Freedom of the Seas, was pulling into a Jamaican port, according to the company's spokesperson.

"The ship's fire suppression system was immediately activated, which contained and extinguished the fire," Royal Caribbean communications director Cynthia Martinez said in a statement.

The passengers were told to go to their assembly stations "in an abundance of caution," Martinez wrote.

"The ship is currently alongside in Falmouth and all systems are functioning," Martinez said in the statement, issued shortly after 11:00 a.m. EST.

Witness video of the ship alongside a dock in Falmouth, Jamaica shows that even though the fire took place in a mechanical space and was contained, the smoke was clearly visible from the port.

By MEGHAN KENEALLY via GOOD MORNING AMERICA. ABC News' Kirit Radia contributed to this report.

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[dcuttler]

If you get a chance, there is a FB post showing the Captains message to passengers that appeared on the in cabin TV's after the incident. Probably the most professional and honest response regarding any kind of incident by someone in authority. Didn't talk down to passengers and didn't use flowery corporate jargon. Should be used in training all captains... but probably won't.