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Gibraltar fuel depot blast: Ten cruise passengers hurt Gibraltar fuel depot blast hurts 12 cruise passengers
(about 7 hours later)
Ten cruise ship passengers have been injured in an explosion and fire at the port of the British territory of Gibraltar, the cruise company says. Twelve cruise ship passengers have been injured in an explosion and fire at the port of the British territory of Gibraltar, its government says.
The guests, who received minor injuries, were treated on board the Independence of the Seas, a statement from Royal Caribbean said. The guests, who received minor injuries, were treated on board the Independence of the Seas, the cruise company Royal Caribbean said.
The blast took place at the territory's main fuel storage facility on the northern part of the harbour.The blast took place at the territory's main fuel storage facility on the northern part of the harbour.
Police are investigating the cause of the explosion. Police are investigating the cause of the incident.
"The lid of the [diesel] tank was blown off by the blast," a police spokesman told AFP news agency. The explosion sent flames several metres high into the air and dense black smoke billowing across the port.
He added that the possibility of another explosion could not be ruled out. Police said the lid of a fuel tank was blown off.
'Pulled out to sea' Two Spanish welders working on the tank were injured, including one who was in critical condition in a burns unit at a hospital, Radio Gibraltar said.
The spokesman also told the news agency that two people injured - one seriously - but did not specify whether they had been on the cruise ship or on shore at the time. 'Serious incident'
Dense black smoke could be seen from the city centre, and emergency workers were at the scene, according to AFP. The Independence of the Seas was moored close by, and was forced to pull out to sea for safety, according to its owners.
The Independence of the Seas - which arrived in Gibraltar on Tuesday morning - was forced to pull out to sea for safety, according to the statement. Eleven passengers were slightly injured, while another suffered a fractured arm, the Gibraltar government said.
They had been due to leave at 1600 local time (1400 GMT), just before the blast, according to AFP news agency. The ship arrived in Gibraltar Tuesday morning on a 14-night itinerary that departed Southampton, England on Saturday.
Royal Caribbean added that two people had been on shore at the time of the explosion but had not been harmed. Gibraltar's Chief Minister Peter Caruana the blast was probably caused by a spark from welding operations, although police were not ruling out any possibility,
The ship was on a 14-night itinerary that departed Southampton, England on Saturday. He described it as a serious incident but said there was "no cause for concern".
"Once it was established that there were welding operations going on, on top of the very tank at the time it exploded, [that] makes that a frontrunner for a likely explanation, but all possibilities are being kept open," he told Radio Gibraltar.
The fire at the depot continued late into Tuesday night, with Radio Gibraltar reporting more explosions were heard.
Police said the possibility of adjacent tanks overheating and exploding could not be ruled out.
Gibraltar is a 6.5 sq km (2.6 sq mile) British territory of around 30,000 people off the tip of southern Spain.Gibraltar is a 6.5 sq km (2.6 sq mile) British territory of around 30,000 people off the tip of southern Spain.