*** ----> Tanker explodes in Thailand, dock workers missing | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN

Tanker explodes in Thailand, dock workers missing

Agencies | Samut Songkhram                              

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com    

Eight workers were missing and houses damaged after an empty oil tanker caught fire and exploded at a dockyard on the Mae Klong river in Muang district on Tuesday morning.

The explosion aboard the tanker Smooth Sea 22 was reported to police about 9:17 a.m. localtime, according to Bangkok post.

The tanker, which has a capacity of 6,500 deadweight tonnes, was undergoing regular maintenance at Ruammitr Dockyard in tambon Laem Yai. Its tanks were empty.

The explosion was heard and felt over a radius of several kilometres. Glass window panes in houses were shattered.

The Marine Department said about an hour later that the fire on the vessel had been brought under control. Eight dockyard workers were missing.

The department was investigating the cause of the fire.