LABUAN NEEDS LATEST SAFETY EQUIPMENT

LABUAN: Labuan Member Of Parliament Datuk Yussof Mahal said the explosion and fire on board an oil and chemical tanker belonging to Malaysia International Shipping Corporation (MISC), where one crew member was killed, three injured and one still missing, was an unforeseen accident, even though safety measures had been taken.

The fire is believed caused by lightning at 2.32am alongside Petronas Chemicals Sdn Bhd jetty, near Pulau Enoe off Rancha-Rancha Industrial Zone, and was put under control by the Fire and Rescue Service Department with assistance from support supply vessels.

“What we saw today is an unexpected event and it happened despite safety and security measures being followed. It is a lesson to us all that Labuan as a hub for oil and gas should have the necessary safety equipment. This does not mean that we have to have a complete set of safety equipment, but probably additional or more advanced equipment are needed,” he said yesterday.

Yussof added the incident only involved one vessel but if a fire occurred at Petronas Methanol, the world’s fourth largest producer of methanol gas, probably the whole island of Labuan would be affected.

“I will visit the scene and be briefed on the incident soon,” he said.

MV Bunga Alpinia, a 38,000DWT chemical tanker, exploded at the Methanol Petronas Chemicals Sdn Bhd jetty.

The ship had 29 crew members where 23 are Malaysians and six Filipinos. Twenty-four of them were rescued.

According to Labuan Hospital emergency department, six people had been listed and had received treatment.

Fire and Rescue Service Department Labuan director Zainal Madasi said 64 firefighters were despatched to the scene in six engines.

Following the explosion, a Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd building suffered damage on its ceilings, floors and doors.

Operations at Petronas Methanol had temporarily stopped until an investigation is completed. (theborneopost)