Tom Stieghorst

Special for USA TODAY

A fire that broke out in the engine room of an Oceania Cruises ship in St. Lucia has claimed the lives of two contractors and a crew member.

The blaze occurred around 8:30 a.m. Thursday morning while the ship was docked at Port Castries.

No passengers were hurt in the fire, which was extinguished. Three contractors and two crew were evacuated to a medical facility, Oceania said in a statement, but several of them did not survive. One crew member remains hospitalized.

The ship was in the middle of a 10 day cruise that left San Juan on Dec. 7. The balance of the cruise, which was scheduled to end in Miami on Dec. 17, has been cancelled.

All 656 guests were evacuated and flown to Miami Thursday night where they have been accommodated in local hotels until transportation to their cities of origin can be arranged, Oceania said. The Insignia is designed to carry 684 passengers.

A guest and crew support team, along with a technical team is en route to the vessel. Newly-named Oceania president Jason Montague is also in St. Lucia, Oceania said.

All guests will receive a 100% refund, and a 50% credit towards a future Oceania voyage.

Insignia was designed for Renaissance Cruises and acquired by Oceania in the wake of the bankruptcy of Renaissance following the 9-11 terror attacks. Originally called R One, it was built in 1998.

Tom Stieghorst covers cruises for Travel Weekly magazine.