Carnival Cruise Lines is strongly objecting to allegations that it neglected to address a fire risk on the Carnival Triumph before it lost power in February due to an engine room fire.

A lawsuit filed by a Houston attorney charges that Carnival did not install spray shields designed to prevent fires if an engine’s flexible fuel hose leaks onto hot spots.

“While this was a difficult situation for our guests and crew, this is a frivolous lawsuit by any measure,” Carnival said in a statement. “The lawsuit is nothing more than an attempt to craft a story that is unsupported by the facts and evidence.”

Carnival said the fire was caused by a leak in a flexible fuel hose — one that had just been replaced six months earlier. “The accident in this situation was just that — an accident,” the statement said. “To claim otherwise is simply unfounded and inconsistent with the facts.”

Carnival said the Triumph’s engines and equipment were in full compliance with all regulatory requirements.

“As an example, the Carnival Triumph’s engines were fully compliant with SOLAS regulations and they were hot-spot free during thermographic testing that was conducted a week before the incident,” the line said.

“In addition, the Carnival Triumph’s engines and power plant were regularly inspected by multiple authorities, including the U.S. Coast Guard a few days prior to the incident, which found the ship to be in full compliance with regulations and cleared the vessel to sail.”

The story came to light Monday in a TV report by Anderson Cooper on CNN, the network that covered the Triumph situation virtually around the clock until after it was towed into Mobile, Ala., after several days with no power in the Gulf of Mexico.

CNN’s story quotes Houston attorney Frank Spagnoletti, who represents several dozen passengers who were on the Carnival Triumph.

“That ship never should have set sail in February,” Spagnoletti told CNN. “It was unseaworthy at the commencement of the voyage. These documents tell you that the company — and I’m saying to you the corporation back in Miami — had knowledge of the fact that this vessel had a propensity for fires; that there were things that could have been, should have been, and weren’t done in order to make sure that fires didn't take place.”

But Carnival maintains it met and often exceeded regulatory requirements.

“Additionally Carnival has introduced several safety-related measures that are above and beyond regulatory requirements, including frequent thermographic testing, inspection and replacement of flexible fuel hoses,” the company statement said.

“In recent months, Carnival has taken additional steps across our entire fleet to further improve our operations, create even greater redundancies and enhance guest comfort. The safety and comfort of our guests is our top priority and throughout our 41-year history, Carnival has maintained an exemplary safety record while carrying more than 60 million guests.”