Fire kills two RI crew

Fire kills two RI crew

BANGKOK (Reuter): Two crew members on the Indonesian- registered MT Candra Dewi were killed in a fire on board the methanol-loaded ship at the south eastern Thai industrial port of Mabtapud.

Jirachai Naiwattanakul of Thai Tank Terminal Co. Ltd., which coordinated Candra Dewi's liquid fuel unloading, said the victims, Indonesian Rafiuddin Armus and Jerry Thamas Y.R., were part of a 17-member crew which had finished unloading part of a 1,900-ton methanol cargo early on Saturday.

Other members of the all-Indonesian crew were safe. Jirachai told reporters police were investigating the fire which caused damage estimated at $4 million. He said the fire may have been sparked by use of a torchlight near the highly inflammable cargo.