LONDON, England (AP) - A discarded cigarette butt was the likely cause of a fatal fire on a cruise ship in the Caribbean, accident investigators say.

Britain's Marine Accident Investigation Branch said in a report that the March 23 fire aboard the Star Princess was probably sparked by a cigarette that ignited combustible materials on a cabin balcony.

The blaze spread to almost 300 cabins on the Bermuda-registered ship, which was sailing from Grand Cayman to Montego Bay, Jamaica. One American passenger died and 13 other passengers were treated for smoke inhalation.
The investigators' report found that the balconies' polycarbonate partitions, polyurethane deck tiles and plastic furniture were highly combustible and produced large quantities of thick black smoke when burned.
The report said international sea safety regulations would be tightened in the wake of the fire.

The investigation branch said the ship's owner, Carnival Corp, was taking steps to improve safety and that the International Maritime Organisation would consider proposed amendments to an agreement governing ships at sea in December.

At the time of the fire, the convention did not have rules on combustible materials used on balcony areas since they were not included in the cruise ships' fire zones.

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