B737-300
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 266
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Hazardous Material Violation; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Flight Crew Diverted; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
Climbing through FL 310 to a cruise altitude FL 350; we received cabin altitude visual and aural warnings. We executed the memory items and completed the QRH. I requested a descent to a lower altitude and continued to assess the situation. While coordinating with Dispatch via ACARS and radio patch; the forward lavatory smoke alarm began to sound. There was no smoke or odor in the cockpit and I asked the flight attendants to check the condition of the lav. They reported no smoke present. We were carrying a wet battery filled with alkali in the baggage compartment and; given the situation; elected to divert and land as soon as possible. I coordinated the diversion with Dispatch and ATC.
...it was decided to go in and land even though we were overweight.As we were being vectored for approach; the forward lav fire warning horn came on. We had the flight attendants verify if there was a fire. There was not. We asked the Tower to have fire trucks standing by. The horn remained on until we got to gate and started deplaning. Fire crew came onboard to verify there was no fire and Maintenance gave us permission to pull the circuit breaker to the silence horn.
A B737-300 flight crew descended from altitude and diverted to a nearby airport when the pressurization system malfunctioned and; during their descent and diversion they received a forward lavatory fire indication that; although evidence of a fire couldn't be verified; caused them to declare an emergency and request CFR to standby.