Oil tanker fire in Norway put out

Source: Xinhua| 2019-09-13 23:57:40|Editor: yan
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OSLO, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- An oil tanker, docked in the county of Hordaland in southwestern Norway, caught fire during oil filling midday on Friday, Norwegian media reported.

The fire was extinguished by early afternoon.

A total of 106 people were evacuated from the terminal in the municipality of Oygarden and 22 people participated in putting the fire down.

No human injuries were reported and a safety zone of 500 meters around the ship was set up.

Norwegian police told the news agency NTB that at 1:20 p.m. local time a traffic ban was introduced about one nautical mile (1.8 kilometers) outside the terminal.

Security Commander Hakon Myking told the public broadcaster NRK in the afternoon that the fire was extinguished and the site was being cooled down.

The Liberian-flagged tanker "Dubai Harmony" is almost 250 meters long and 44 meters wide and had 40 cubic meters of fuel onboard when the fire broke out.

Morten Rebnord, senior police constable from the Western Police District, was quoted by the report as saying that one person was treated by health professionals after inhaling smoke.

According to the newspaper VG, Norwegian police did not yet know how the fire started, but would initiate an investigation.

"The fire broke out in the engine room. There will obviously be some damage, but how big or little it is, I cannot comment," Per Algeroy, operation manager at the Western Police District, told the newspaper.

The Norwegian Coast Guard told NRK that they were sending assistance to the site.

The extent of pollution after the fire is currently unclear.

The Norwegian Maritime Directorate will carry out a port state control on board the ship in the coming days. They will evaluate the damage the ship has had and assess whether it is safe enough to sail on or not, NRK reported.

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