At least 3 fishermen dead, 9 missing after crude oil tanker DESH SHAKTI allegedly hit the Oceana fishing boat with 14 fishermen off Kochi, southwest India coast

Suezmax tanker alleged hit and run 3 dead 9 missing

Aug. 7, 2018 at 13:30 by Mikhail Voytenko in Accidents 1393

Crude oil tanker DESH SHAKTI allegedly hit fishing boat with 14 fishermen off Kochi, southwest India coast, at around 0330 LT Aug 7, while en route from Chennai India to Al Basrah Iraq. Boat was severely damaged, at least 3 fishermen confirmed dead, 9 are missing. According to survivors statement, the ship didn’t stop after collision, and continued her sailing. Later tanker was identified by Indian Coast Guard as main suspect. Fishing boat crew were reportedly, “resting” at the time off collision, which took place early in the morning, i.e. they were sleeping. Most probably, tanker didn’t spot the boat because of its’ tiny size and wooden hull, which made boat invisible on radar and hard to spot visually.

IMRRA, FleetMon’s official Vessel Risk Rating Partner, risk assessed this tanker as having a ‘green’ risk rating, with a specific risk rating of 30% (19-MAR-18), compared to the fleet average 34.8%. New risk assessment reports can be purchased via FleetMon.
Red: Poorest performing; Amber: Average value; Green: Good indicator. 

========================

The 'Desh Shakti' allegedly was involved in a hit and run accident with the fishing boat 'Oceana' with 14 fishermen on board off the coast of Munamban near Kochi on Aug 7, 2018, at 03.30 a.m. 

The tanker was en route from Chennai to Al Basrah. The boat when being run over was severely damaged, at least three fishermen from Kolkata and Tamil Nadu were confirmed dead, nine more were missing. 

Two survivors were taken to hospital in Kochi. According to their statements, the ship didn’t stop after collision and continued sailing. Later the tanker was identified by the Indian Coast Guard as main suspect. 

The fishing boat crew was resting at the time of the collision. Most probably, tanker didn’t spot the boat because of its’ tiny size and wooden hull, which made boat invisible on radar and hard to spot visually. 

OSHA and Carl Cannon Inc., an automobile dealership, have reached a settlement agreement to resolve citations and penalties issued after five employees were injured, three fatally, in a fire at the company’s Jasper, Alabama, facility.

August 7, 2018

U.S. Department of Labor and Alabama Auto Dealership Settle
Safety Citations and Penalties Following Fatal Fire

JASPER, AL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Carl Cannon Inc., an automobile dealership, have reached a settlement agreement to resolve citations and penalties issued after five employees were injured, three fatally, in a fire at the company’s Jasper, Alabama, facility. The company will pay $114,074 in penalties.

OSHA’s investigation determined that the fire occurred as employees used a flammable brake wash to scrub the service pit floor. OSHA cited the company for failing to implement all elements of a chemical hazard communication program, improperly storing flammable liquids, and allowing the use of unapproved electrical receptacles and equipment in a hazardous area. As part of the settlement, which became final on Aug. 1, 2018, the company agreed to correct the hazards, provide the required abatement documentation, and comply with safety and health standards.

“This settlement serves as a commitment by the employer to abate identified workplace hazards, and ensure continuous compliance with OSHA safety standards to prevent a tragedy such as this from recurring,” said OSHA Birmingham Area Office Director Ramona Morris.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education, and assistance. For more information, visit https://www.osha.gov. 

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Auto dealership deaths lead to safety citations Reprints

Gloria Gonzalez 12/12/2017 9:26:00 AM


U.S. federal safety regulators have cited and proposed $152,099 in penalties against an Alabama automobile dealership after three employees died and two were injured in a fire.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated an investigation into Jasper, Alabama-based Carl Cannon Inc. in response to a flash fire and determined that the employees were using a flammable brake wash to scrub the service pit floor when the fire occurred, the agency said Monday in a statement. Three employees were fatally injured, a fourth was critically burned, and a fifth employee was treated for smoke inhalation and released.

OSHA issued Carl Cannon one willful and two serious safety citations for failing to implement all elements of a chemical hazard communication program, improperly storing flammable liquids and allowing unapproved electrical receptacles and equipment to be used in a hazardous area, according to the statement.

“Failure to effectively implement a hazard communication program has tragically resulted in the loss of lives and serious injuries,” OSHA Area Director Ramona Morris in Birmingham, Alabama, said in the statement. “Employers must ensure employees are trained and aware of the hazards associated with handling flammable chemicals.”

A company spokesperson could not be immediately reached for comment.

===========================







A fire at a Chevrolet dealership in Jasper, Ala., left one employee dead, three critically injured and one with minor wounds.

The men were working in the service department of the dealership when a flash fire broke out Monday around 5:30 p.m, burning the victims.

The fire took the life of Jake Jennings, team leader of the Express Lube department at Carl Cannon Chevrolet-Cadillac-Buick-GMC, according to officials from the Alabama State Fire Marshal’s office. A local newspaper reported Jennings was 39.

"Jake was an amazing employee," the dealership wrote on its Facebook page Wednesday afternoon. "A big jolly guy whose sense of humor was only matched by his work ethic."

The city's mayor David O'Mary said workers were using flammable solvent to clean in an oil change area when"something ignited," The Daily Mountain Eagle​ reported. "Those vapors created a fire bomb in that pit," O'Mary added.

The Jasper fire department did not respond to calls for comment.

"Our team on the ground had been in contact with the dealership," Chevrolet said in an e-mailed statement. "There is a lot we don't know about this terrible accident. Our hearts go out to all of the families involved."



Alabama State Fire Marshal Scott Pilgreen told The Daily Mountain Eagle: "We're not at a point right now where we're going to say anything in regard to what we think may have led to what happened. We're going to let the investigative process run its course."

Carl Cannon Chevrolet could not be reached for comment, but wrote in a Facebook post that investigations are ongoing and the cause of the fire has not been determined yet, adding "we all want nothing more than to understand what happened and why."

Three people including two Detroit police officers were rushed to the hospital because of ammonia fumes after a burst chemical pipe at Intrastate Distributors, a Detroit beverage distribution plant

3 people overcome by fumes from burst pipe at Detroit factory


Posted: Aug 06 2018 06:15PM EDT


DETROIT, MI (WJBK) - A burst chemical pipe at a Detroit factory caused a HAZMAT situation Monday.

Three people including two Detroit police officers were rushed to the hospital because of fumes.

"We were scared, we got dressed and we were ready to go," said Charmaine Ford. "Especially when we saw it was a HAZMAT 2 situation."

At about 9 a.m. Monday there was an explosion at Intrastate Distributors right across the street from Ford's house on Exeter Street near State Fair on Detroit's east side.

"It's a distribution company, so you have dry products that come in and then transfer those products from one location to another location," said Lt. Clarence Watts, Detroit Fire Department.

One of those products is Towne Club Soda. The burst pipe caused ammonia to leak at high levels and employees were evacuated.

Two Detroit policers and a 57-year-old male employee taken to an area hospital due to fumes.

"There wasn't enough chemical to lead to an immediate evacuation of the area," Watts said.

Charmaine and her sons not taking any chances, staying indoors.

At times emergency crews dealing with the hazmat situation were forced to take breaks in the extreme heat. The leak was contained late morning and Intrastate Distributors remained closed for the day. The company declined to talk to FOX 2 about the incident.

A fire official told FOX 2 the people who were hospitalized are okay.Meanwhile, authorities are working to determine the cause of the explosion and the ammonia leak.

=====================




A beverage distribution plant on Detroit's east side reported a chemical leak Monday morning on the 20000 block of Exeter.

Fire Department Lt. Clarence Watts said the building was closed and 15 employees were sent home as investigators looked for the cause of the leak.

Watts said the building houses a company that distributes Towne Club beverages, and has dry goods and liquids stored on the premises.

He said the Fire Department received a call from the company’s employees about the leak at about 9:15 a.m. Monday.

Fire officials said the level of danger wasn’t enough to warrant evacuating the surrounding neighborhood.

Fire crews had to wait to enter the plant because hazmat crews had to determine whether it was safe.

The leak may have been caused by a leaky or broken pipe, said Dave Fornell, deputy commissioner of the department.

It's considered a level two hazmat situation, which according to the National Fire Protection Association, is "an incident involving hazardous materials that is beyond the capabilities of the first-responders on the scene and could be beyond the capabilities of the public-sector responders having jurisdiction," which "can pose immediate and long-term risk to the environment and public health."

Two police officers and a worker were treated at Detroit Receiving Hospital after being exposed, Fornell said. Their conditions were not available Monday night.

At one point, officers asked a TV news helicopter to fly over a certain part of the building so they could watch the livestream and get a better view of the roof.

The facility is operated by Intrastate Distributors. No one at the company could immediately be reached for comment Monday evening.

Sonya Lofton said she heard a TV news helicopter flying over the area and came to the area.

Lofton said she has seen trucks frequently arriving and leaving at the soda factory. She said she didn’t hear any explosions or smell any unusual odors and was surprised to learn about the chemical leak.

“Nothing like this has ever happened in the neighborhood before,” she said.

Bad Medicine for California, as the Mendocino Complex fire to burn for the rest of August, scorching thousands of acres, destroying houses, forcing thousands to evacuate, while polluting the air

Bad Medicine for California, as the Mendocino Complex fire to burn for the rest of August, scorching thousands of acres, destroying houses, forcing thousands to evacuate, while polluting the area

Aerial view of Trabuco Canyon as a tanker aircraft dumps load onto Holy Fire, Near Santiago Peak, California, U.S., August 6, 2018 in this still image taken from a video obtained from social media. TWITTER / @ZULUJUMPER/via REUTERS

Largest wildfire in California history to burn for rest of August
Dan Whitcomb


LOS ANGELES, CA (Reuters) - 

California’s biggest wildfire on record was expected to burn for the rest of the month, fire officials said on Tuesday, as hot and windy conditions challenged thousands of fire crews battling eight major blazes burning out of control across the state.

The Mendocino Complex grew to span 290,692 acres (117,639 hectares) by Tuesday morning, with barely a third of it contained since two wildfires merged at the southern tip of the Mendocino National Forest, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said.

It is the largest of eight major fires burning out of control across California, prompting U.S. President Donald Trump to declare a “major disaster” in the state.

The size of the fire has surpassed that of last year’s Thomas Fire, which burned 281,893 acres in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties and destroyed more than 1,000 structures.

Nearly half of the ten largest California wildfires on record occurred in the last decade.



The Mendocino Complex has burnt 75 homes and forced the evacuation of thousands of people. Fire officials had hoped to extinguish the fire by mid-August, but pushed that date to early September on Tuesday.

Temperatures could reach 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 Celsius) in Northern California over the next few days, with gusty winds fanning the flames of the complex, a National Weather Service meteorologist said.

The 3,900 personnel battling the Mendocino Complex on Monday were focusing on keeping flames from breaking through fire lines on a ridge above the foothill communities of Nice, Lucerne, Glen Haven, and Clearlake Oaks, said Tricia Austin, a spokeswoman for Cal Fire.

Elsewhere in California, evacuations were ordered for cabins in Cleveland National Forest’s canyons in Orange County on Monday afternoon, after a blaze broke out to quickly engulf 700 acres (283 hectares).

The Carr Fire, which has torched 167,000 acres in the scenic Shasta-Trinity region north of Sacramento since breaking out on July 23, was 47 percent contained.

The Carr Fire has been blamed for seven deaths, including that of a 21-year-old Pacific Gas and Electric Company lineman Jay Ayeta. The company said on Sunday he was killed in a vehicle crash as he worked with crews in dangerous terrain.
Slideshow (2 Images)

“California wildfires are being magnified and made so much worse by the bad environmental laws which aren’t allowing massive amount of readily available water to be properly utilized,” Trump wrote on Twitter, without providing supporting evidence.

A Cal Fire spokesman declined to comment on Trump’s claims but said crews did not lack water to fight the flames.

Environmental activists and some politicians say the intensity of the state’s wildfire season could be linked in part to climate change.

WHAT THE HAIL: A massive hailstorm damaged buildings and animals habitats at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs; two animals dead at a Colorado zoo and 14 people injured

A hailstorm left two animals dead at a Colorado zoo and 14 people injured

By Emanuella Grinberg and Amanda Jackson, CNN

Tuesday, August 7, 2018


Chunks of hail the size of golf balls rained havoc on a Colorado zoo on Monday, shattering windows, damaging cars and sending animals and humans running for cover.

The massive hailstorm damaged buildings and animals habitats at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs. The zoo will be closed Tuesday while it assesses the damage, marketing director Jenny Koch said. 

Five injured people were taken to a hospital and nine more were treated on the scene and released, said Brian Vaughan, public information officer and fire captain for Colorado Springs Fire Department.

A 13-year-old caped vulture named Motswari was killed in the storm along with a 4-year-old Muscovy duck known as Daisy, Koch said. A third animal -- a vulture -- was initially reported dead, but later turned out to be severely injured.

Animals and humans scrambled for cover from the sudden barrage, visitor Jesse Barkalow said. He shot video on his phone of bears running around rocks in an enclosure as the pellets of frozen rain pummeled them.

"The bears were running around and there was no cover available for them," he said.

The massive hailstorm shattered car windows in the parking lot and dented vehicles. Visitor Sherri Wullschleger said the hail smashed the front window of her car, knocked off the side mirrors and obliterated the sunroof.

Wullschleger was inside a building with a skylight during the storm, she said. The hail crashed through the glass and fell into the animal enclosures, she said. "It was very scary."

In addition to the five people who were taken to the hospital, many more guests and staff members suffered minor injuries, Koch said.

"We're still trying to figure out the extent of the damage and what needs to be done to reopen," she said.

A young landscaping worker was killed Monday morning when he was hit by a female car driver near Eagle High School in Eagle, Idaho

The Ada County Sheriff's Office said the man was near a landscaping truck and trailer that was parked along the road when the collision occurred. The man has not been identified and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The woman who struck him is cooperating with investigators and remained at the site of the crash, she was not injured in the accident
=========================
Landscaper hit and killed by car in Eagle neighborhood
The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.






Author: KTVB

August 6, 2018

EAGLE, IDAHO-- 

A young landscaping worker was killed Monday morning when he was hit by a car near Eagle High School.

The collision happened at 8:40 a.m. on Cardon Street, just off of Park Lane.

Eagle Police Chief Patrick Calley said a woman was driving east on Cardon Street when she hit the man, who was near a landscaping truck and trailer parked along the road. The man died at the scene.


Neither the woman behind the wheel nor her teenage passenger was injured in the crash, Calley said, although he described the car's occupants as very upset.

It's unclear what led to the collision, and unraveling all the details of the wreck could take days or weeks, authorities said. Calley said investigators are looking into everything from sun position, to timing to any possible distractions as they work to reconstruct the crash.

"We want to be able to find an answer to what happened, because it's a very tragic event," he said. "A young person is now gone, and a driver is distraught and impacted by this. We want to have the answers for everybody that is involved."

Cardon Street is a residential street and a 25 mph zone. Calley noted that Eagle Police has received repeated complaints about speeding on that road, but could not say whether speed was a factor in Monday's crash.

The victim's name has not yet been released, and no charges have been filed. The wreck remains under investigation, Calley said.

"There are so many puzzle pieces out on the ground right now that it is way too early to talk charges," he said.

Cardon Street is currently blocked at Park Lane, although residents will still be able to access it from the west via Linder Road.

Supertanker FRONT HAKATA is disabled and under tow away from port after fire in the engine room

Supertanker FRONT HAKATA fire update: under tow away from port

Aug. 5, 2018 at 04:55 by Mikhail Voytenko in Accidents 5932

Aug 7 Update: Reportedly, FRONT HAKATA was taken on tow by (according to AIS) offshore supply tug AKATSUKI (IMO 9728966), towage commenced in the morning Aug 7 Tokyo time, destination unknown. Caravan is moving in southwest direction at some 4 knots speed, away from port of destination Chiba. According to additional inside information, fire in engine room was extinguished by crew by sealing engine room and understood, activating fire extinguishing system. 

Supposedly, crew were to restart machinery after fire was out. But tanker was taken on tow and is towed away, maybe because of safety reasons. With approaching typhoon Shangshan, soon to hit eastern Honshu, maritime authorities may find disabled VLCC in full load to be too much of a threat, moored or anchored. 

Damages inflicted by fire obviously are more serious than previously stated, because the ship is still disabled and probably, requires land facilities for repairs.

Very Large Crude Carrier FRONT HAKATA reported fire in engine room at around 0300 Tokyo time Aug 5 west of Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, south of Tokyo Bay. Tanker was waiting for berth at Chiba since arrival from Saudi Arabia on Aug 4, being in full load of crude oil. Fire was reportedly extinguished by 0900 Tokyo time, tanker meanwhile, was moved out to sea, at 1330 Tokyo time she was southeast of southernmost Chiba with 3 tugs at her side, moving in southeast direction at some 1.5 knots speed, apparently under tow. 25 crew, all Indian, not injured, no leak reported, no risk of fire spreading to cargo tanks.

IMRRA, FleetMon’s official Vessel Risk Rating Partner, risk assessed this tanker as having a ‘green’ risk rating, with a specific risk rating of 31% (10-MAY-18), compared to the fleet average 34.8%. New risk assessment reports can be purchased via FleetMon.
Red: Poorest performing; Amber: Average value; Green: Good indicator.

The historic Tama building is considered a total loss after a massive fire in downtown Burlington, Iowa

Burlington building destroyed by fire was months away from renovation completion
  by Marissa Sulek

August 6, 2018


BURLINGTON, Iowa - 

Firefighters were back at the scene today of a fire that destroyed the historic Tama building in downtown Burlington on Saturday, Aug. 4.

The building was undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation when the fire started. Tenants were two months away from moving into some apartment units in the upper levels. Several businesses were set to move in to the lower levels as well.

Marcia Walker worked for an optometrist in the Tama building for seven years. She remembers the street as the cornerstone of Burlington.

"They had this lovely counter where you could go in and get some floats and some lovely ice cream things," she recalls.

Burlington Fire Chief, Matt Trexel, reports the building is now a complete loss. "I don't think we will ever be able to go inside that bulding," he says. "We had it assessed by a structural engineer and he doesn't thin it will ever be safe enough to go back inside that."

For now, all investigations will remain outside.

Another fire occured in the same exact building back in 2010. Since then, investors have been working to restore it for retail and some apartments.

Richard Poindexter owned a Taekwondo in the Tama building years back and remembers the fire in 2010.

This time was no different.

"It was kind of deja vu when I first heard it," he says. "I couldn't believe it, so I came down at 3AM to watch it and we knew it was gone."

In 2010, the fire started in the basement. However, this Saturday's fire began in one of the upper stories in the back building.

Tenants were set to move into the new apartments October 1st. Those plans will now change.

"It's kind of like they say "the Phoenix rises," said Poindexter. "But this time it's not going to rise. At least not right now."


==============================
2 FIREFIGHTERS INJURED AT IOWA BUILDING FIRE

August 6, 2018

The Tama building is considered a total loss according to Burlington Fire Battalion Chief Bruce Workman.
 
Two firefighters were transported to an area hospital due to injuries received while fighting the fire. Both have since been released and their injuries are not considered life threatening.

Firefighters remain on scene applying water to hot spots and smoldering embers. Primary high power lines were struck during the blaze. Alliant Energy is still working to restore power to downtown Burlington.

The fire was called in by a citizen who saw the flames from three blocks away. Six departments and fifty-three firefighters battled the blaze.

UPDATE 8/5/18 9:00 a.m.: Fire crews continue to battle smoke and flames at the Tama building in Burlington as of 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning.

The fire chief says the fire started in the Eastman building and then spread to the Chittenden. Parts of both buildings have collapsed. The east side of the Eastman building and north side of Chittenden building both saw partial collapses as of 9:00 a.m. Fire crews are concerned both buildings could collapse and are asking people to keep their distance.


Neighbors say they watched the flames all night and heard parts of the building collapse.

“We gathered on the balcony and watched and they said,’get all your cars because we don’t know how secure the building is,’ and then at about 6 this morning we heard a rumble and the whole back end of the building came down,” said Mark Renteria.

Renteria says he was planning to open a wine bar and grocery store on the bottom floor of the building. The Tama building was undergoing a $12 million renovation to also include 48 loft style apartments.

The Tama building previously caught fire in 2009.

ORIGINAL 8/5/18 4:45 a.m.: Fire crews remained on scene as of 4:45 a.m. Sunday after a fire broke out overnight in the Tama building.

Burlington Police say at least four neighboring fire departments are on scene assisting – Fort Madison, West Burlington, Danville and Mt. Pleasant.

Police say the call came in at 10:54 p.m. Saturday night, Aug. 4. The Tama building is located on 3rd Street and Jefferson Street.

The building is currently being renovated into apartments. Police say no one lives there currently, but a woman had to be rescued from the third floor. Fire crews were able to get her out using an aerial truck. She was not injured, according to Burlington Police.


No injuries have been reported.

Burlington Police also say part of the west wall collapsed.

Chief Engineer/Firefighter Pasquale "Pete the Pepper" DiBenedetto, 68, died after suffering a medical emergency, hours after responding to a carbon monoxide alarm

Pasquale "Pete the Pepper" DiBenedetto

Englishtown Fire Department
August 4 at 11:48 AM ·

***DEATH NOTIFICATION***

On Tuesday, July 31, 2018 Chief Engineer/Firefighter Pasquale “Pete the Pepper” DiBenedetto suffered a medical emergency which ultimately resulted in his death on Thursday, August 2, 2018.

The medical emergency occurred hours after the department responded to an alarm system investigation, in which Pasquale responded. As a result, the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety has declared the death of Chief Engineer/Firefighter DiBenedetto as a Line of Duty Death.


Arrangements are as follows:

Wake Services:
Monday, August 6th, 2018 between the hours of 4pm and 9pm at the Lester Memorial Home in Jamesburg, NJ.

Funeral Services:
Tuesday, August 7th 2018 starting at 10 am at the Our Lady of Mercy Church in Englishtown, NJ. The funeral services will be preceded by a Fire Department Procession from the Lester Memorial Home to Our Lady of Mercy Church. Following funeral services a repass will be held at the Englishtown Fire Department.

Any emergency service agencies which plan on paying respect are requested to contact Department Chief Lou Sarti via email at 1266@EnglishtownFD.com

=====================

New Jersey Division of Fire Safety has declared it a line-of-duty death because the medical emergency occurred within 24 hours of a call response. 

 Firefighters mourn 'big-hearted' colleague who had medical emergency hours after call
 
August 4, 2018

By Rebecca Everett

reverett@njadvancemedia.com

For NJ.com

Englishtown Fire Chief Lou Sarti said the death of long-time firefighter Pasquale "Pete the Pepper" DiBenedetto on Thursday has left a big hole in the close-knit volunteer department in Monmouth County.

"It's a very big loss," Sarti said of the 47-year veteran of the department. "It's a hole I don't know if we'll be able to fill. We'll never have another Pepper."

DiBenedetto, 68, died after suffering a medical emergency Tuesday morning, hours after responding to a carbon monoxide alarm along with others in the department. Sarti said the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety has declared it a line-of-duty death because the medical emergency occurred within 24 hours of a call response.

He declined to give details about the medical episode, but said DiBenedetto passed away Thursday.

Sarti -- who has no idea how DeBenedetto came by the quirky nickname -- described his late colleague as a big-hearted, selfless man who helped all the younger firefighters, and anyone else who needed it.

"He was like everyone's uncle," he said.

DeBenedetto was the department's chief engineer, which means he took care of repairs and maintenance of the fire trucks and other equipment.

"He was here every day," Sarti said. "He ran a farm, he did car repairs for friends, and he still made time to come to the fire station to respond to calls and take care of the apparatus."

After calls, he liked to hang out and joke around with his good friends at the department.

"We busted his chops because he was such a nice guy," Sarti said.

DeBenedetto is survived by a sister and an uncle.

A wake will be held Monday from 4 to 10 p.m. at Lester Memorial Home in Jamesburg and a funeral service at Our Lady of Mercy Church in Englishtown Tuesday at 10 a.m. A funeral reception will follow at the Englishtown Fire Department.

DeBenedetto will be honored with a fire department procession from Lester Memorial Home to his funeral service.

Any emergency service agencies that plan to participate are asked to notify Sarti at 1266@EnglishtownFD.com.

A hydraulic box boom crane located at Castex Offshore’s Vermilion 252-A facility experienced repeated hydraulic boom cylinder (HBC) failures.

A hydraulic box boom crane located at Castex Offshore’s Vermilion 252-A facility
experienced repeated hydraulic boom cylinder (HBC) failures.   Castex Offshore,
Inc., is an operator of certain oil and gas properties and/or marketer of certain oil and gas production located offshore Texas and Louisiana and is the designated operator of these leases (with respect to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management).

Specifically, the cylinder rod separated from the cylinder rod eye on two consecutive occasions. The crane is equipped with dual, parallel HBCs that are designed to work together to raise and lower the box boom. 

The first HBC failure occurred on a refurbished unit they had installed only two days prior to the failure (original was replaced due to a leaking wiper seal). Subsequently, they replaced the failed refurbished unit and it had a repeat, like failure twenty-four days later. In both cases, the crane had little or no hook load and the failures did not result in any other damage to the crane or injury to personnel.

Both of the failed HBCs had inferior quality welds that went undetected during a
nondestructive test (Dye Penetrant) after refurbishment. Metallurgical tests
conducted post incident showed the first failed HBC to have “a poor weld with multiple
voids and a lack of penetration” and the second failed HBC to have a poor weld, which
“was never fully machined away from the parent material before the eye was welded to
the new rod.” The vendor stated, “the weld on these cylinders is not meant to resist
tension, just compression.” 

Not convinced that the root cause of the two failures was solely due to inferior quality welds, Castex commissioned a hydraulic specialty shop to perform an in-depth evaluation of the cylinders including the undamaged one. The subsequent study identified that both failed HBCs had a working stroke roughly one inch different from the originals. As stated by a Hydraulic/Cylinder Specialist, “the combination of the under welded rod eye and difference in working stroke would result in applied tension (torque) instead of compression and cause rod eye failure.”

Based on the BSEE and third party investigation findings, all agreed to rebuild both
cylinders with matching measurements per original equipment manufacturer
specifications prior to installation and returning the crane to service.

Additionally, each sudden unexpected failure of the HBCs resulted in an increased risk
to personnel; therefore, operators should consider changing both HBCs when repairs to
one are necessary to ensure a matched pair. An alternative to changing both would
include verifying a matched set, which requires confirming the same pin-to-pin
centerline (both while collapsed/while extended) and equal working stroke measurements
of each HBC; “it could be as little as 1/4" in length to cause a pull and give it
torque.”


LIST THE PROBABLE CAUSE(S) OF ACCIDENT:

Mismatched hydraulic boom cylinders designed to work together (roughly one inch
difference in working stroke) which created torque and led to material failure

LIST THE CONTRIBUTING CAUSE(S) OF ACCIDENT:

• Faulty weld on refurbished hydraulic boom cylinders

• Failure to recognize the importance of ensuring the same pin-to-pin centerline (both
while collapsed/while extended) and equal working stroke measurements of each HBC.

PROPERTY DAMAGED:

• Crane hydraulic boom cylinder
• Small section of handrail adjacent to the crane pedestal


NATURE OF DAMAGE:

• Broken weld resulting in separation of the cylinder rod from the cylinder rod eye
• Broken top-rail

RECOMMENDATIONS TO PREVENT RECURRANCE NARRATIVE:
The Lake Charles District recommends a Safety Alert for the Agency shared with the Oil and Gas Operators and Crane maintenance and repair companies in efforts to heighten the awareness to prevent a re-occurrence

Extensive damage has been found on the hull of the vehicle carrier Makassar Highway off the coast of Sweden. The ship is operated by K-Line European Sea Highway Services

Damage to Grounded Car Carrier Worse Than Thought; Complex Salvage Lies Ahead

July 26, 2018 by Mike Schuler
224shares
224


0The Panama-flagged Makassar Highway aground off Sweden. Photo: Swedish Coast Guard

Extensive damage has been found on the hull of the vehicle carrier Makassar Highway off the coast of Sweden.

An underwater inspection of vessel carried out Tuesday revealed several breaches of the hull and water ingress in a ‘couple’ of tanks which will require a complex salvage operation to make safe.

The full extent of damage is still not known because a large part of the 139-meter ship’s bottom rests on the rocky seabed.


The Panama-flagged Makassar Highway ran hard aground off Loftahammar, Sweden on Monday morning while underway from Cuxhaven, Germany from Sodertalije, Sweden.

The cause of the grounding is still under investigation but Swedish media reported that one crew member had been taken into custody on suspicion of being intoxicated.

So far no oil pollution has been reported.

The vessel is reported to hold 333,000 liters of fuel oil, 38,000 liters of lube oil and 34,000 liters of diesel.

Salvors are expected to remove all oil from the impacted tanks before attempting to move the ship.

“The ship is hard on a rocky ground, and it will require extensive work before it can talk about getting rid of the ship,” says on-site coordinator Roger Gebauer.

An underwater inspection of the vessel on Tuesday revealed extensive damage to the hull. The Swedish Coast Guard reported a hole in the forepeak tank with water ingress, a hole in the bow thruster, metal damage to the bulb and along the port side. Water intrusion has been reported in multiple tanks as well.

The Swedish Coast Guard is working with the Swedish Transport Agency, the shipping company’s insurance companies and an appointed salvage company on a salvage plan for the vessel.

“Our role is to prevent, prevent and limit emissions of oil to protect the marine environment. It is the shipping company’s responsibility to handle the salvage and it must be approved by the Transport Agency’s inspector who is on board the shipwreck, “said Roger Gebauer.

Weather on scene is expected to remain favorable for the next several days.

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Photos: K-Line Car Carrier Aground Off Sweden

July 24, 2018 by Mike Schuler Photo: Kustbevakningen


A K-Line car carrier ran aground off Loftahammar, Sweden on Monday morning, causing some hull damage but no pollution has been reported thus far.

K-Line reported Tuesday that the 139-meter vehicle carrier Makassar Highway, operated by its subsidiary K-Line European Sea Highway Services, ran aground 07:21 on 23 July 2018 during a voyage from Cuxhaven, Germany from Sodertalije, Sweden.


The company has confirmed that all 18 crew members on board the vessel remain safe. No cargo on board the vessel is damaged, however, some damages to the ship’s hull have been noted.

Swedish media has reported that one crew member who was determined to be intoxicated has been placed under arrest. Photo: Kustbevakningen

The Swedish Coast Guard reports that crews have placed boom around the ship in case oil was to leak from the vessel.

An underwater survey of the vessel was expected to commence on Tuesday to determine the extent of damages to the ship.

The Coast Guard is working with the Swedish Maritime Authority and appointed salvors on a salvage plan for the vessel.

Weather is expected to remain favorable over the next several days which will help with the salvage operation.

The Makassar Highway was built in 2001 and has a gross tonnage of 17,735 metric tons. The vessel is flagged in Panama. Photo: Kustbevakningen

Drunk ship master is suspected to be responsible for the grounding of the Antigua Barbuda-flagged BBC Lagos cargo ship in Sweden

BBC Lagos refloated. Photo: Swedish Coast Guard

Drunken Master Suspected in Another Ship Grounding Off Sweden

August 5, 2018 by Mike Schuler Photo: Swedish Coast Guard

A cargo ship which ran aground Friday night off Helsingborg, Sweden has been refloated with no pollution reported, the Swedish Coast Guard said Sunday.

The vessel, loaded with 5,000 tonnes of wheat, was headed for the port of Helsingborg when it grounded at 11:15 p.m. local time on Friday night, the Coast Guard reported.

Prior to the ground, vessel traffic services had tried to alert the Master that this ship was on the wrong course, but to no avail. A tugboat also attempted to stop the vessel but was also unsuccessful and the ship ran aground on a sand bank.


The Coast Guard conducted a sobriety test on the Master and subsequently handed the case over to the police on suspicion that he was under the influence.

gCaptain can confirm that the vessel is the Antigua Barbuda-flagged BBC Lagos.

The Coast Guard reported Sunday that the vessel had been refloated.

No pollution or injuries have been reported as a result of the incident. A survey was expected to take place in port.

The grounding comes just a few days after the car carrier Makassar Highway was towed safely to port after running aground off Loftahammar, Sweden on July 23rd. In that case, the master was also arrested on suspicion of being under the influence.