The NTSB has published its report on the fire that took place on board the cargo ship Chipolbrok Moon on 23 May 2018. The fire occurred while the ship was moored at the Industrial Terminal West in Greens Bayou in the Port of Houston, Texas.
The incident
On May 21, the Chipolbrok Moon arrived at Industrial Terminal West in Houston. After the ocean voyage and before offloading the cargo, the steel sea fastener tabs used to secure the turbine components had to be removed by cutting, using an oxygen/acetylene torch.
The next afternoon, a marine chemist tested the atmosphere in cargo holds no. 2 port, no. 3 port and starboard, and no. 4 starboard for oxygen content and presence of flammable vapors to determine if it was safe to carry out hotwork.
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