Published: Sep 2, 2005 LOS ANGELES (AP) - Three members of a cruise ship crew were killed by toxic sewer gas Friday as they repaired a waste pipe aboard the ship that had just returned to the Port of Los Angeles.
Posted on 09/02/2005 5:57:33 PM PDT by TheOtherOne
Three Crew Members Killed by Toxic Gas on Cruise Ship in Los Angeles Port
Published: Sep 2, 2005 LOS ANGELES (AP) - Three members of a cruise ship crew were killed by toxic sewer gas Friday as they repaired a waste pipe aboard the ship that had just returned to the Port of Los Angeles.
No passengers were injured, but 19 other crew members from Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Seas were examined for possible exposure to the toxic gas, authorities said.
Passengers were leaving the ship at the time of the incident, the company said.
Officials first identified the gas as methane but later determined it was hydrogen sulfide, which occurs in sewage, said Barbara Yu, a supervising hazardous-materials specialist for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
The three crew members probably died within 30 seconds of encountering the gas, Yu said.
"It deadens your sense of smell so you don't even smell it," she said.
The incident occurred after the ship returned from a cruise with about 2,500 passengers and 850 crew members, said city Fire Department Battalion Chief Lou Roupoli. The ship makes regular trips down Mexico's Pacific coast.
Royal Caribbean said crew members were replacing a section of pipe connected to the ship's sewage system. The broken line expelled about five gallons of raw sewage and an unknown amount of gas in a propeller shaft tunnel, Roupoli said.
Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Tony Migliorini said the repair crew could have worn special masks but they usually are not required for such operations.
Fire officials said the repair was being done in an isolated, enclosed space and that most of those who later reported feelings nauseated had not been in the space but decided that they wanted to be checked out.
The ship, which has primarily Norwegian officers, has crew members from all over the world.
Royal Caribbean said the Coast Guard and local authorities were immediately notified and that the cruise line "will fully assist in the investigation of the incident."
Passenger Yvonne Powers of Sacramento said she was about to disembark with her daughter when she saw men in hazardous-materials protective gear going downstairs.
"Nobody said anything to us," Powers said.
Later, after they had left the ship, there was a public address announcement that there had been a mishap and that "we've got it under control," she said.
The 14-year-old Monarch of the Seas is based in Los Angeles harbor and registered in the Bahamas. The ship, scheduled to leave again Friday on a cruise to the Mexican port of Ensenada, was be delayed by several hours but still expected to leave port, Royal Caribbean spokesman Michael Sheehan said.
AP-ES-09-02-05 1956EDT
Damn, must have been one hellacious dump.
3 more? Wow, it's spreading!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1475739/posts
Stuff happens.
Damn FR search, I searched Toxic and Cruise. Oh well.
My apology.
I posted the article this morning, but toxic was not part of the title from the source I used. It said gas leak.
I have updated my keywords just now on that thread.
It's been quite a few hours since I posted it tho, let it ride. Thanks!
Yup, AP changes headlines througout the day. Anwyway, I should have known, you usually post the same articles I am about to post. I often see your post already there when I search.
Thanks,, Just call me thread hog. :-} LOL..
I can post a barebones thread in a minute or so, 2 if I need an image or two for dramatic effect. ;-)
Practice Practice Practice :)
I thought we exported you to Alaska...
I told those guys to take their BEANO!!!
Monday, but I will have a new laptop so it may be a vacation but I'll being around and about.
What did you get this time?
ping
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