Explosion aboard an oil Tanker
On September 24, a fire broke out due to an explosion aboard a tanker “Burgos”, one of Mexican state oil company Pemex’s oil tankers, in the Gulf of Mexico. The crew was safely evacuated from the vessel. The accident is a blow to the struggling state-run firm.
The incident happened in southeastern Veracruz state about 8 miles off the coast of Boca del Rioon.
All the crew were safely evacuated off the ship and got back to shore, Pemex said in a tweet early Saturday afternoon.
Images tweeted by Pemex showed the vessel giving off plumes of smoke as another boat hosed the tanker. According to Mexican news site Sin Embargo, the Burgos was carrying 80,000 barrels of diesel fuel, 71,000 barrels of unleaded gasoline, and 16,000 barrels of desulfurized gasoline.
Other Mexican navy ships moved into the area to put barriers in place in case of a leak from the tanker, Sin Embargo reported. Four tugboats from Veracruz’s port authority also arrived on the scene to with special foams to use to fight the fire.
The Burgos was one of the oldest ships in Pemex’s fleet and one of 17 tanker-type vessels the state oil company uses to transport fuel in the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific.
To watch video, please click here
Did you subscribe for our daily newsletter?
It’s Free! Click here to Subscribe!
References: SinEmbargo MX , Business Insider
