Shipyard in court over tanker fire

Shipyard in court over tanker fire

SINGAPORE (AFP): A leading Singapore ship repairer, Jurong Shipyard, has been hauled to court for allegedly flouting the law in connection with an oil tanker fire in which 10 workers died, officials said yesterday.

The partly state-owned company was accused of contravening the Factories Act over the Feb. 8 fire which occurred while the ship British Adventure was under repair at its dockyard here.

A Subordinate Court here, hearing the case on Wednesday, did not record a plea from the company which was granted an adjournment of four weeks to make representations, the officials said .

Eight people died on the spot when the fire broke out in the steering gear room at the rear of the British-owned vessel. Two other died later.