Boat Operator Alert: Take Care of Onboard Spare Gasoline
Hong Kong Marine Department (MARDEP) advise of the dangers of carrying spare gasoline fuel following its investigation of an accident aboard a locally-licensed speedboat that resulted in the fatal loss of the boat's coxswain.
A fire broke out onboard aboard the speedboat off the Trio Island, Sai Kung, having started at a storage box which was fixed near the coxswain's seat of the speedboat, and the blaze spread quickly.
The coxswain of the speedboat was missing as a result of the accident and his body was found six days later at the southwest of the Steep Island, Sai Kung.
The investigation into the accident revealed that the most probable cause of the fire was the ignition of the vaporized gasoline, which was accumulated and trapped inside the storage box, by a naked flame.
Lessons learnt from this accident are:
- spare gasoline fuel should be stowed in containers of closed type specifically designed by manufacturer for the carriage of gasoline;
- fuel container should be placed at open and well ventilated space; and
- gasoline is highly inflammable, any forms of naked flame such as lighted cigarette and spark generator etc. should be kept away from the gasoline container.
MARDEP draws the attention of vessel operators and crew to the above when using gasoline fuel onboard their vessels.
