Tanker explodes, 1 dead, 4 hurt, others missing

SAMUT SONGKHRAM: One dock worker was confirmed killed and four others injured by an explosion and fire aboard an oil tanker moored for maintenance at a dockyard on the Mae Klong river in Muang district on Tuesday morning.

Seven people were still unaccounted for, provincial governor Somnuk Promkaew said on Tuesday afternoon.

There were unconfirmed news reports a second body had been found burned beyond recognition inside the oil tanker.

It was earlier reported only that eight workers were missing and that houses were damaged after an explosion and fire aboard the tanker Smooth Sea 22 shortly after 9am.

The tanker, which has a capacity of 6,500 deadweight tonnes, was undergoing regular maintenance at Ruammitr Dockyard in tambon Laem Yai. The explosion was heard and felt over a radius of several kilometres. Glass windowpanes in houses were shattered.

Governor Somnuek said the explosion occurred during welding, when about 10 workers were aboard the ship and about 30 others were on the bank of the dockyard.

One worker was confirmed killed. The dead man's right leg was found about 500 metres from the tanker. Four other people were confirmed injured, one a Thai and three from Myanmar. Seven people were still missing, six from Myanmar and one Thai.

The governor said the tanker still had 25,000 litres of fuel oil and 20,000 litres of diesel onboard while moored for maintenance. It was previously reported to have been empty.

The Marine Department said about an hour later that the fire on the vessel had been brought under control and that eight dockyard workers were missing.

The department was investigating the cause of the fire.

Niyom Songkaew, chief of the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare, said the provincial labour protection office would question the employer and other people to determine if there was any violation of the Occupational Health Safety Act.

Video by Siridech Siricamhom