5 killed, 7 injured in Cochin Shipyard explosion

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Five persons were killed and 7 injured on February 13, 2018,  in an explosion   on board Sagar Bhushan , an oil rig of ONGC, undergoing repairs at Cochin Shipyard. The Chairman and Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard has announced an  immediate ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh for the families of the deceased.

All treatment expenses of the injured will be met by the company as per its existing policies. All necessary assistance is  being provided by the  Company to those affected, and the entire senior leadership is monitoring the process.  Senior civil and police officials are on the ground and appropriate actions is being taken.

The Ship Sagar Bhushan arrived at Cochin Shipyard on December 7,  2017, for drydock repairs. It was drydocked on 12 January 12, 2018, and was to be undocked on February 28, 2018. The work completion was scheduled by April 7, 2018.

At around 9.15 am on February 13, a phone call was received at CSL informing that there is a gas leakage near the AC compartment area of the ship undergoing repair in the drydock No 1. Immediate instruction was passed on to stop all hot work, but the explosion had already occurred in the forward area of ship near the AC plant by then. Fire tenders rushed to the ship immediately along with ambulance. Firemen on board the ship and the fire tender that reached the spot after the blast worked together to extinguish the fire, according to a PIB release.  CSL has assured it places Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) as one of its core values in operations.