A group of passengers aboard the ill-fated Island Lady casino shuttle boat have sued Tropical Breeze Casino in Port Richey, Florida, for injuries suffered last month when the shuttle boat Island Lady caught fire within minutes of pulling away from the dock. As smoke poured from the engine room, the 50 passengers were instructed to jump into the frigid waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Carrie Dempsey, 42, died later in a hospital and 15 others were injured.
Adam Brum, the primary maritime attorney at Morgan and Morgan law firm representing several Island Lady passengers, said, “It does not appear that they’re very well regulated. Everyone’s just trusting this company to give them safe passage.”
Tropical Breeze Casino purchased the 24-year old Island Lady in 2015. In October, it crashed into its dock after a transmission cable broke, damaging the passenger waiting area. The cause was listed as “lack of maintenance” but the following day the boat was allowed to resume operations. Last March, inspectors discovered a blocked fuel shut-off valve, a missing fire extinguisher and electrical issues on the vessel.
In 2004, a shuttle boat owned by Sun Cruz, the forerunner of Tropical Breeze Casino, caught fire. A passing boater rescued the crew members. At the time, the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board determined Sun Cruz did not have a preventive maintenance program.
During the last two inspections of the 27-year old Tropical Breeze Casino boat, the Coast Guard found maintenance problems regarding the firefighting system and required it to replace missing life jackets.
Congressman Gus Bilarikis, who represents the district where the fire happened, has been in contact with the U.S. Coast Guard as it performs an investigation of the fire. Bilarikis said he is considering filing legislation to strengthen inspection laws.
