- A moored Russian trawler in Norway has been capsized in an attempt to stop the ship from exploding after a fire aboard the vessel continued to burn for a second day.
- Local police said much of the diesel oil on the trawler is estimated to have burned overnight but that some oil had been found on the sea. There were no reports of casualties.
A Russian trawler with an ammonia tank and carrying about 200,000 litres of diesel oil was in flames at a northern Norwegian port and authorities evacuated surrounding areas because of an explosion risk, reports the Independent.
People evacuated
Around 100 people were evacuated from the area around the Bukhta Naezdnik in the port of Breivika, near Tromso on Wednesday amid concerns a tank of ammonia on board could be ignited.
The hazardous chemical is capable of causing skin burns and critical lung damage – risking damage to local residents as well as the surrounding environment.
However officials have since tipped the vessel into the waters to prevent smoke damage to the surrounding area.
Ship ablaze
The fire, which began on Wednesday, caused the ship to dramatically list onto one side, with acrid black smoke pouring into the skyline as firefighters attempted to cool the ammonia tank.
The 200,000 litres of diesel oil stored on the ship’s fuel tanker is believed to have been mostly depleted by the flames through overnight, according to local police.
However officers are continuing to advise residents keep their windows closed to limit the risk caused by the smoke.
Cause of the fire undetermined
The exact reason of the fire is yet unclear and it reportedly spread from the back of the ships to a store of fishing nets.
Two of the vessel’s 29 crew members were treated for smoke inhalation, according to local reports.
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Source: The Independent
