A fire broke out aboard a rust-covered 80-meter long liquid petroleum gas (LPG) carrier Kantika on Sunday morning at about 8.30am offshore Phuket, Thailand, the Phuket News reports.
The Thai-registered ship, owned by Ayudhya Public Co, had fortunately unloaded its cargo prior to the incident.
“I was working in the aft engine room. I smelled smoke and saw it was coming from around the communications room.
“I tried to put it out but there was too much smoke, so I ran out to get help,” crew member Mr Panurat told Siang Tai .
Due to a prompt reaction of the Marine Department aided by the Royal Thai Navy’s helicopter the fire was put out by 11 am.
Mr Panurat, the only person still onboard after three other crewmen had gone ashore the same morning, was rescued immediately from the vessel. The 600-million-baht carrier had been moored in the Taphao Yai Bay for about two months where it was selling LPG.
According to the preliminary reports the damage is said to equal THB (Thai Baht) 20 million.
(1.00 THB =0.0326079 USD)
[mappress] LNG World News Staff, October 08, 2012