It is an oil ship in which a fire broke out during the night of January 25 to 26 in Port-la-Nouvelle, in Aude. The fire is now extinguished and there is no risk of pollution, according to the department’s prefecture. Cyrille Duval, head of center within Sdis (Departmental Fire and Rescue Service), describes this intervention in which he participated.
The essentials of the day: our exclusive selection
Every day, our editorial team reserves the best regional news for you. A selection just for you, to stay in touch with your regions.
France Télévisions uses your email address to send you the newsletter “The essentials of the day: our exclusive selection”. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link at the bottom of this newsletter. Our privacy policy
He was one of the first firefighters to go to the scene in Port-la-Nouvelle, in Aude, on the night of January 25 to 26. A fire broke out off the coast of the port city on an oil ship. Cyrille Duval, head of center within Sdis de l’Aude, specializes in interventions on board ships and boats, particularly for fires. This is the case for 27 firefighters in Aude, for around 200 professional firefighters. There were around ten of them mobilized during the night this Sunday, January 26.
Also read: IN PICTURES. A fire breaks out on an oil cargo ship in Port-La-Nouvelle, 55 firefighters mobilized
“We were called around 1:45 a.m.reacts the firefighter. At 2:15 a.m., there was the first team on board the ship”details Cyrille Duval.
The intervention took place around 2 a.m.
•
© Sdis 11
A fire broke out in the engine room of the ship, whose crew members are Filipino, in an electrical generator. A diesel leak and a risk of explosion should also be reported. The oil cargo ship is filled with 30,000 m3 of diesel. It is also 1 km from the quay.
-The boat is an oil tanker.
•
© Sdis 11 / 34
“We are taken aboard a pilot boat [bateau rapide pour transporter le pilote à son navire]and we climb using a rope ladder”, describes Cyrille Duval. The firefighter explains that the first step is first “to make it waterproof” the place where the fire broke out, i.e. the engine room. This is what is done at that time, the ship being designed to be able to do this.
Firefighters from Sdis de l’Hérault also arrived as reinforcements “within two hours”. The Marseille Firefighters were also contacted but were not hired. “We didn’t know the boat, we had to work with the crew who didn’t speak the same language, particularly with the help of the captaincy”describes Cyrille Duval.
55 firefighters were mobilized.
•
© Sdis 34
The intervention includes two main risks: the inflammation de the entire castle [structure d’un navire dépassant de la coque]but also coastal pollution due to fuel. When the temperature dropped in the engine room and made watertight, the teams then went down to complete the intervention.
No casualties were reported among the twenty crew members who worked on the ship. The latter must be towed to be repaired. The Aude prefecture confirmed this Sunday afternoon that the ship had to be towed to the port of Marseille.
“These are interventions that are rare, even if we are traineddescribes Cyrille Duval. We are tired, but we are relieved, and we are proud of our staff.”.
