FIRE ABOARD MEGA BORG

Shortly before midnight on June 8, 1990, a violent explosion ripped through the Norwegian tanker MEGA BORG, killing two crew members and leaving two others missing and feared dead. The blast left the stern of the 853-foot ship ablaze in the Gulf of Mexico, about 57 miles southeast of Galveston, Texas. The fire fighting and oil recovery efforts of the U.S. Coast Guard and other governmental agencies are described. Had the blaze not been controlled, the world's largest oil spill could have resulted. The cleanup operation became a testing ground for two pollution cleanup methods: the air drop of 11,300 gallons of dispersant, and the use of oil-eating bacteria.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Journal article
• Authors:
  • Sedwick, M
• Conference:
  • Proceedings of the Marine Safety Council
• Publication Date: 1990-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 3 p.
• Serial:
  • Volume: 47
  • Issue Number: No.4

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Explosions
• Uncontrolled Terms: Ship fires
• Old TRIS Terms: Accident descriptions; Mega borg (Vessel); Tanker accidents
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00660968
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Maritime Technical Information Facility
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 21 1994 12:00AM