Oil tanker catches fire in Samut Songkhram dockyard, four injured

[webfact]

 

At least four people were injured and a number of houses sustained damage when an empty oil tanker caught fire, followed by an explosion, while it was undergoing maintenance at a dockyard on the Mae Klong River in Mueang district of Samut Songkhram Tuesday morning.

 

According to the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre, there was an explosion on board the Smooth Sea 22 tanker at about 9.17am, in the dockyard of Ruam Mitr Dockyard Company in Laem Yai sub-district.

 

The explosion shattered windows in a few houses near the dockyard and about four people sustained minor injuries. Some workers in the dockyard jumped into the river to escape the effects of the blast.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/oil-tanker-catches-fire-in-samut-songkhram-dockyard-four-injured/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-01-17

 

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[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

According to the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre, there was an explosion on board the Smooth Sea 22 tanker at about 9.17am

I guess the maintenance didn't go as smoothly as the ships name implies.

[Burma Bill]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

empty oil tanker caught fire, followed by an explosion, while it was undergoing maintenance

The possibility of welding during the maintenance????

[webfact]

One dead, 9 injured, 7 missing after oil tanker fire in Samut Songkhram dockyard

 

 

One person died, nine were injured and seven are missing after an empty oil tanker caught fire, which was followed by explosions, while it was undergoing maintenance at a dockyard on the Mae Klong River in Mueang district of Samut Songkhram on Tuesday morning.

 

According to an advisor to the Labour Minister, there were eight men working on the tanker when the first explosion occurred. The foreman, who was in the engine room, then told the workers to leave the ship immediately. Three more explosions were then heard on board the ship.

 

According to the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre, there was an explosion on the Smooth Sea 22 tanker at about 9.17am, in the dockyard of Ruam Mitr Dockyard Company in Laem Yai sub-district.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/one-dead-9-injured-7-missing-after-oil-tanker-fire-in-samut-songkhram-dockyard/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-01-18

 

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UPDATE:

 

 

Oil Tanker Fire Controlled But Death Toll Rises To Two
by TNR Staff

 

 

THE HUGE fire raging at an oil tanker docked in Samut Songkhram for repairs since 9 a.m. this morning (Jan. 17) was brought under control at around 3 p.m., INN News said.

 

However the death toll rose to two after another victim’s body was spotted at the bottom of the oil tanker, Smooth Sea 22, with officials working on bringing it ashore.

 

Four others who were injured are undergoing treatment at the hospital while five are missing. It is still not known what caused the explosion but investigation continues.

 

Full story: https://thainewsroom.com/2023/01/17/oil-tanker-fire-controlled-but-death-toll-rises-to-two/

 

-- © Copyright  THAI NEWSROOM 2023-01-18

[ExpatOilWorker]

[RichardColeman]

Was it due to a bad ship or Thai maintenance wondering what this 'do not press this button' did ? 

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

 It is still not known what caused the explosion but investigation continues.

Fumes and welding is my guess.

[OldPedro]

Forgot to put up their "Safety First" sign.....

[JoePai]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Fumes and welding is my guess.

Correct, the tanks weren't vented before work (SOP)

[still kicking]

Get Greta quick! Oh wait.

[Elkski]

Rip.  That one guy was lucky and stepped off the flying deck. 

[soalbundy]

So it was docked for repairs, it's certainly in the right place now

[hotchilli]

32 minutes ago, JoePai said:

Correct, the tanks weren't vented before work (SOP)

I wonder if they'll try to salvage this one like the warship?

 

[degrub]

If the cargo deep tanks were not chemically clean, look out. Just waiting for a static discharge, grinder, or flame to ignite the “empty” deep tank. Likely a common vent header so the flame  propagated from one deep tank to another through the header.

 

rip workers. It wasn’t your fault, but you bear the consequences.

[Jimbo 12345]

Men have died,  some sick replies,  shame on you all,  and so many experts on the shipping industry,  as always.  <deleted>in pathetic. 

[Mr Meeseeks]

27 minutes ago, Jimbo 12345 said:

Men have died,  some sick replies,  shame on you all,  and so many experts on the shipping industry,  as always.  <deleted>in pathetic. 

I spent 20 years offshore, been working in oil and gas most of my life, many of those years spent in the Gulf of Thailand, and concur with most of what has been posted above. 

 

Unfortunately health and safety is very poor here, due to a number of factors.

[superal]

1 hour ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

I spent 20 years offshore, been working in oil and gas most of my life, many of those years spent in the Gulf of Thailand, and concur with most of what has been posted above. 

 

Unfortunately health and safety is very poor here, due to a number of factors.

I have a similar working background to you , both on storage tank repairs in refineries and live processing petrol/chem plants . As you will know , getting hot-work permits in such situations follows an exhaustive amount of safety tests , regular gas checks when work is in progress with a trained safety/fireman in attendance . That is my experience in the western world . But here in Thailand safety does not seem to be considered and the 2nd video shows only 1 man with any sort of PPE , the others in tee shirts . There would be manslaughter charges brought in the UK

[PETERTHEEATER]

11 hours ago, webfact said:

.......is still not known what caused the explosion but investigation continues.

Welding torch and empty tank vapour comes to mind.

[Mr Meeseeks]

3 hours ago, superal said:

I have a similar working background to you , both on storage tank repairs in refineries and live processing petrol/chem plants . As you will know , getting hot-work permits in such situations follows an exhaustive amount of safety tests , regular gas checks when work is in progress with a trained safety/fireman in attendance . That is my experience in the western world . But here in Thailand safety does not seem to be considered and the 2nd video shows only 1 man with any sort of PPE , the others in tee shirts . There would be manslaughter charges brought in the UK

Yep, a quick look at the video shows they are clearly being negligent. 

 

Trouble is this often costs lives in high risk industries as we are aware. 

[webfact]

Eight bodies found after oil tank fire, search continues for one missing man

 

 

Rescue teams recovered five out of six bodies found on Wednesday in the Mae Klong River, bringing the confirmed death toll in the oil tanker fire and explosion to eight. One is still missing.

 

Dozens of rescue workers, including divers equipped with underwater scanners, and jet skiers resumed the search within a 100-metre radius of the oil tanker, which caught fire and exploded yesterday morning (Tuesday) in the Ruam Mitr Dockyard in Mueang district of Samut Songkhram province.

 

An official from a rescue team said that divers are having to exercise extreme caution, because there is a lot of steel debris from the tanker under the water.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/eight-bodies-found-after-oil-tank-fire-search-continues-for-one-missing-man/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2023-01-19

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[hotchilli]

Safety first, except Thailand, that's always an after thought.

[metisdead]

Off topic posts and the replies have been removed.

[worgeordie]

On 1/17/2023 at 1:00 PM, webfact said:

empty oil tanker caught fire, followed by an explosion,

Apparently not so empty......a little bit left in the tanks , ????

 

P.S. these Emojis are sh!t ......????

 

regards worgeordie 

[Partenavia]

Having seen the video's posted yesterday, there needs to be a full and transparent enquiry, because having spent 25 years on tankers, it was clear that safety was an afterthought. The family's of those killed need an explanation.

[superal]

15 hours ago, Partenavia said:

Having seen the video's posted yesterday, there needs to be a full and transparent enquiry, because having spent 25 years on tankers, it was clear that safety was an afterthought. The family's of those killed need an explanation.

Agree but if there is a local enquiry would the outcome be devoid of corruption ? Latest report tells of 8 dead and 1 missing . Family misery and loss of income is immense . 

The mind boggles when thinking that , did the company carrying out the work have specific insurance for working on the tanker ? 

I can only comment on UK safety procedures where this type of work would carry strict procedures that include method statements , working permits which are a legal document , approved experienced workers who have to complete a detailed daily risk assessment that would be signed off by the owners site agent . No deviations from the method statement allowed , penalty being cessation of work and possible dismissal of the contractor .  I remember that when working for Exon , an Exon employee would be watching / observing permit compliance . 

Can  Mr Meeseeks detail what working in Asia , safety wise , happens ? I am guessing not a lot unless the contractor is from the U.S.A. or Europe .