A fire in a ballast pump room can be brought under control with minimal impact on stability by __________.

Correct Answer: Option B — shutting all sources of air into the compartment

Isolating a compartment by shutting all ventilation, fire dampers, and access openings starves the fire of oxygen. Unlike direct water application, which can quickly accumulate uncontained free surface and catastrophically compromise vessel stability, controlled smothering mitigates major stability hazards.