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Posted on 11/10/2007 9:52:42 PM PST by yorkie
SAN DIEGO (AP) — An explosion in the hull of a Navy cruiser during routine maintenance injured six workers on Saturday, two of them critically, authorities said.
Subcontractors from the National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. were working in the fuel tank of the USS Lake Champlain as it sat in dry dock when the explosion occurred just after noon, said San Diego Fire Department spokesman Maurice Luque.
"Apparently it was caused by flammable gas that ignited," Luque said. "We don't know how or why."
Two of the workers were taken to UC San Diego Medical Center with "major trauma burns" that Luque said were life-threatening
(Excerpt) Read more at ap.google.com ...
There ARE ways of working on (and in) an (empty) fuel tank safely....
Seems they’ve been in place since ... oh right about the early 1910’s or so.
There is no more news at this time. Will update as information is available.
Prayers being sent for all those injured.
Shipyard/EDO hazards ping.
I can’t imagine this happening without someone taking a shortcut. I hope they all recover.
My heart is heavy, right now, as two lay in critical condition. Prayers will continue.....
An aluminum boat builder, welder and a friend of mine was killed last year while working on a fuel tank, I had taken in a 185 gallon fuel tank from a fishing boat months prior to have the aluminum rewelded and I spent 4 hours steam cleaning it before I even took it over but unfortunately the tank he was working on had a couple of gallons of gas in it and the force of it when it detonated crushed his chest and heart.
In a side note its another reason why I never drive with less than half a tank of gas in my truck, its not the liquid but the ratio of gas vapors and air thats so deadly, full tanks in a collision is safer.
Oh, crap. Sorry to hear this.
Prayers away.
Prayers extended for the men hurt in this terrible accident and for their families.
I toured the USS Lake Champlain this year during Seabee Days at Port Hueneme. The USS Lake Champlain is an incredible ship. It can go up to 30 knots, yet is large enough to carry two helicopters. It also carries some amazing weapons aboard.
San Diego/Southern California Ping! Prayers extended for the critically injured workers and for their families.
The USS Lake Champlain is based in San Diego. This year I went on a tour of the USS Lake Champlain during Seabee Days at Port Hueneme. The USS Lake Champlain is a very fast ship yet large enough to carry two helicopters and house some amazing weapons.
“An explosion in the hull of a Navy cruiser....”
Cruiser!?
Prayers for those injured, and their families.
#5 posted a picture of the cruiser.
They are supposed to blow 100 PSI air in fuel tanks continuously for 24 hours before anybody goes in. Just like aircraft.
Prayers go out for the injured. I pray they all make a complete recovery.
WOW! Had to update on what a Cruiser was nowadays. I noticed in reading at the Navy site that at one point these Aegis Cruisers even used a Destroyer hull in past incarnations. Smaller than what I knew of as a Cruiser, but so be it.
Our prayers for those six injured and their families.
Sounds like somebody blew off the gas-free verification check on the tank. Here's another hint: you still need to do it if you're working on the outside of the tank. Heating up the outside of the tank sufficiently will cause explosive content to go boom. A couple of maintenance guys at Hill AFB found this out the hard way in the mid-1990s.
UPDATE:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jHqOARVKs84F3KTog3mADjzeVJYQD8SR9KK80
Only one now in critical condition. Prayers working! Please continue with prayer to Our Heavenly Father to place His Healing Hand on all the victims, and most urgently on the burned body of the most severely burned.
Islamics?
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