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 yesterday morning.
Seven people were initially unaccounted for as of yesterday afternoon, provincial governor Somnuek Phromkhiaw said, but that figure was later amended to eight.
A number of nearby houses were also damaged by the blast that struck the Smooth Sea 22 tanker shortly after 9am.
The tanker, with a capacity of 6,500 deadweight tonnes, was undergoing regular maintenance at Ruammitr Dockyard in tambon Laem Yai. The explosion was reportedly heard and felt over a radius of several kilometres, causing window panes in houses to shatter.
Mr Somnuek said the explosion occurred during welding when about ten workers were aboard the ship, and some 30 others were working nearby.
One worker was confirmed killed. The dead man's right leg was found about 500 metres from the tanker. Four others were confirmed injured, including a Thai and three workers from Myanmar.
The governor said the tanker still had 25,000 litres of fuel oil and 20,000 litres of diesel onboard. It was previously reported to have been empty.
The Marine Department provided an update about an hour later, saying the fire had been brought under control and eight dockyard workers were missing.
Of them, six were known to be from Myanmar, and another was Thai.