LNG SHIP CATCHES FIRE

AMMAN — Nineteen people were injured on Thursday after a fire broke out on a ship loaded with liquid gas anchored in the Port of Aqaba, officials said.

“Twenty people were on deck at the time and fifteen of them were suffering from exposure to thick smoke,” said Lieutenant Colonel Farid Shara.

Four Jordanians were among the injured admitted to hospital, which also included 13 Filipinos, one Russian and one citizen of Montenegro, according to the official.

“The fire started on the ship at around 9:40am, when one of the pumping pipes exploded,” Shara told The Jordan Times.

The Panamanian-flagged vessel, chartered by a Jordanian company, was carrying 4,200 tonnes of gas, of which 2,144 tonnes had been transshipped, the official said.

“The ship was moved half a kilometre offshore in order to hose down the fire, which swept through 30 to 40 per cent of the vessel,” said Shara.

Firemen from Aqaba’s Civil Defence Department, Aqaba Airport, Maan Governorate and the Royal Navy brought the fire under control after two hours, Shara said.

The ship is now anchored one kilometre offshore and five fire engines are on standby in case the fire spreads again. “Some would leave the ship in water for fire to burn it down. But, we insisted to contain the fire and rescue its crew,” said Shara.

An investigation committee has been formed to determine the cause of the blaze, he added.

The port currently handles 22 million tonnes of goods per year and has a capacity to handle 30 million tonnes. 

Friday-Saturday, July 14-15, 2006