Baltic risk from fire on ferry Lisco Gloria
DANISH and German sea experts were battling to keep a Lithuanian ferry from sinking and spilling fuel into the Baltic Sea yesterday.
A series of explosions on board triggered an inferno on the Lisco Gloria and all 249 passengers and crew were rescued after the first early-morning blast on Saturday, local time. The rescued included 28 people who were injured, mostly from smoke inhalation. Subsequent blasts fuelled the inferno.
Officials said a fire on a truck in the hold of the ferry was possibly the cause of the blaze.
German and Danish crews using water cannons had lowered temperatures on the burning vessel from an estimated high of 300C, but the ferry continued to burn yesterday, and it was unclear when the passenger and freight ship could be boarded and hauled away.
The wreck, anchored off the coast of the Danish island Langeland, is carrying about 200 tonnes of oil. The Danish environmental ship Marie Milj was to help head off an oil spill, and efforts were focused on keeping the Lisco Gloria from sinking.
Fire ships sprayed water on the fire through the day, but the efforts were stopped to prevent the ferry from further listing from the heavy load of water, a marine emergency spokesman said.
Source: The Australian