Fires and explosions

Citation

(2008), "Fires and explosions", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 17 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2008.07317dac.006

Fires and explosions

Article Type: Disaster database From: Disaster Prevention and Management, Volume 17, Issue 4

1 August 2006Coal Mine, Fuyuan, China

A total of 11 miners were killed in a sudden surge of coal and gas at a coal mine in Fuyuan, a county in eastern Yunnan Province, local sources said. The No. 1 team for comprehensive digging tasks of Bailongshan Coal Mine, with 11 miners on the team, were underground when the mishap occurred about 1840, Saturday (July 29).

1 August 2006Premises, Manama, Bahrain

Bahrain yesterday continued the task of dealing with the causes and aftermath of the worst tragedy to hit laborers in the kingdom. A fire yesterday killed 16 Indians mostly from the state of Tamil Nadu, who were sleeping in overcrowded accommodation. An ad hoc joint committee of Civil Defense and labor ministry representatives is still investigating the cause of the fire but an official has urged all people in charge of labor accommodation to adhere to safety measures to ensure the tragedy is not repeated. “One possible cause is the large number of laborers who were living in cramped accommodation,” Civil Defence director Khalid Al Absi yesterday said in a press statement.

3 August 2006TUMA (Nigeria)

At least five persons were feared to have been killed on Jun 20 as crude oil tanker Tuma (66676 gt, built 1975) carrying petroleum product burst into flames at the Beachland Estate, Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos. The explosion, which occurred at the Obat Petroleum Depot, also left some others seriously injured. Two of them are said to be in critical condition receiving treatment for what a source described as “high degree” burns at an undisclosed hospital in Apapa. The cause of the blast, which took place at about 14.30 hrs, at the engine-room of the vessel, remained unclear, but electrical spark is suspected. A staff of Obat, who pleaded anonymity, told local press that the explosion might not be unconnected with leakage of petroleum product which reportedly flooded the engine-room of the vessels for days. The leakage and the resultant flooding was said to have been first discovered immediately the vessel berthed four days ago. Even though Obat Petroleum Depot is believed to possess fire-fighting equipment, including Angus fire pumps, foam tanks and hydrant line that goes round the depot with over ten outlets, it however, required fire fighters from the neighboring Julius Berger, ASCON Oil and NPA to prevent the fire from spreading to the depot, said to be the only privately owned in the country with a private licensed jetty which can accommodate the berth of vessels in the range of 20,000 metric tonnes.