Fire on oil tanker and cargo vessel in Yeosu kills 1, injures 2

A fire broke out aboard a large oil products tanker and a smaller cargo vessel in Yeosu, South Jeolla, early Saturday morning, killing one person and injuring two foreign crew members.

A fire broke out aboard a large oil products tanker and a smaller cargo vessel in Yeosu, South Jeolla, on Aug. 16, leaving one dead and two injured. [KOREA COAST GUARD]

A fire broke out aboard a large oil tanker and a smaller cargo vessel in Yeosu, South Jeolla, early Saturday morning, killing one person and injuring two crew members.

According to authorities, the blaze started at around 1 a.m. on Saturday at Sinbuk Port in Yeosu, engulfing the 2,692-ton carrier and the 24-ton cargo vessel. The cause of the fire remains unknown.

A nearby ship reported the incident to the Yeosu Vessel Traffic Service Center, prompting the Korea Coast Guard to dispatch rescue crews. At the time, there were 14 people aboard the oil tanker and four on the smaller cargo vessel.

All 18 individuals were rescued, but the captain of the smaller vessel, who was found unconscious, later died. A Myanmar crew member from the tanker suffered severe burns and is currently receiving treatment, and another suffered an ankle injury.

The fire took seven hours to extinguish. Before the fire was fully put out, the Coast Guard said the oil tanker was carrying about 2,500 tons of hazardous chemicals, which could prolong the time necessary to fully extinguish the flames. Authorities plan to launch a full investigation into the cause and circumstances of the fire once the situation is under control.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]