This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-europe-13605595
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Gibraltar fuel depot blast hurts 12 cruise passengers | Gibraltar fuel depot blast hurts 12 cruise passengers |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Twelve cruise ship passengers have been injured in an explosion and fire at the port of the British territory of Gibraltar, its government 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, the cruise company 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 incident. | Police are investigating the cause of the incident. |
| The explosion sent flames several metres high into the air and dense black smoke billowing across the port. | The explosion sent flames several metres high into the air and dense black smoke billowing across the port. |
| Police said the lid of a fuel tank was blown off. | Police said the lid of a fuel tank was blown off. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 'Serious incident' | 'Serious incident' |
| 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 was moored close by, and was forced to pull out to sea for safety, according to its owners. |
| Eleven passengers were slightly injured, while another suffered a fractured arm, the Gibraltar government said. | Eleven passengers were slightly injured, while another suffered a fractured arm, the Gibraltar government said. |
| The ship arrived in Gibraltar Tuesday morning while on a 14-night itinerary that departed from Southampton on Saturday. | |
| 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. | |
| He described it as a serious incident but said there was "no cause for concern". | 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. | "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. | 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. | 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 on the tip of southern Spain. |