A blaze at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering’s Okpo shipyard in South Korea killed one and injured seven others after a fire broke out aboard an LNG ship under construction, according to the Korea Times.
The fire broke out at the world’s second biggest shipyard in Geoje, South Korea.
Those affected were in an area of the ship known as ‘the tank’; with 130 present when the fire broke out.
The fire was reportedly caused by a welding spark inside the vessel during its construction.
Tuesday’s incident comes as DSME continues to struggle with its financial footing amid the downturn in the offshore rig building market. Police are investigating the cause of the fire.
One engineer in his 50s died from inhaling toxic gases. Seven others also inhaled the gases and were transferred to hospital, with one remaining in critical condition.
According to SEACOR Environmental Services, the inadequate packaging, stowage and labelling of hazardous and noxious substances is a common issue, with the IMO responding with its own strict guidelines for dealing with this activity.
