Following dramatic efforts to extinguish the fire that broke out on board Russian factory trawler Bukhta Naezdnik, the vessel is now on its side.
During the day there were plans to evacuate the local hospital, plus people were asked to leave nearby homes as there was judged to be a risk of explosion if the fire were to reach the ammonia storage tank.
‘It has been a very hectic – sometimes a dramatic day,’ said mate Lars Øyvind Henningsen on board Coastal Administration vessel Bøkfjord which was at the quayside changing crews as the fire broke out, and they were immediately called out to join the firefighting efforts. More than a day later, they were still on station.
‘The trawler has sunk at the quay, and right now we have the Norwegian Coast Guard’s emergency response officer on board. He co-ordinates efforts to limit emissions and damage to the environment following the fire and the accident. We have put oil protection barriers around the trawler, and will eventually collect pollution and anything else that come from it,’ he said.
‘This was about controlling and trying to put out the fire, but also helping keep the trawler stable at the quay. We then kept it steady with the bow, while there were firefighting teams with breathing apparatus on board. It burned fiercely, and fire in a ship is tragic and dramatic in itself.’
