Several explosions occurred on a tanker ship being loaded with fuel at the Lingen-Holthausen refinery in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia late on Monday, police said. The vessel caught fire and sank. The fire brigade was able to get the blaze on the Ems River canal under control, in addition to preventing it from spreading to other nearby ships, police said. Super-grade fuel leaked out of the burning ship and also caught fire, which was also put out with a special foam. But the dangerous fuel-water combination created in the accident could still cause further fires or explosions, police said. The ship’s five crew members also managed to escape, though one suffered minor injuries.


Back to news list