An explosion on board the vessel Seamec II in the Curaçao ship repair company CDM killed five workers, the Daily Herald reported.
The workers had made a hole in the hull of the offshore oil platform support vessel to remove a machine that required electronic work. As usual, the company’s chemist checked for possible gasses or other dangerous substances and gave the green light.
What exactly happened is unclear, but the suspicion is that there was somehow a gas leak. The first explosion was followed by a second, and then a fire with a lot of smoke.
The Fire Department had to deal with the smoke and the fact that the fire heated up the boat’s steel construction. There was also the risk of more explosions.
Several people who were down in the hull were also injured, but their lives were not in danger. All work at CDM has been stopped until it is clear there is no longer any danger.
Source: Daily Herald