Blast on cruiser injures 6 maintenance workers

Blast on cruiser injures 6 maintenance workers
The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Nov 11, 2007 17:56:38 EST

SAN DIEGO — An explosion in the hull of a cruiser during routine maintenance left six workers injured Saturday, one of them critically with life-threatening burns, authorities said.

Subcontractors from the National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. were working in the fuel tank of the cruiser Lake Champlain as it sat in dry dock when the explosion occurred just after noon for reasons not yet determined, said San Diego Fire Department spokesman Maurice Luque.

“Apparently it was caused by flammable gas that ignited,” Luque said. “We don’t know how or why.”

Four of the workers were taken to UC San Diego Medical Center.

One remained in critical condition Sunday afternoon, hospital spokeswoman Alma Fisher said.

Two more workers had been discharged and one was in the process of being discharged, Fisher said.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/11/ap_shipexplosion_111107/