Press Release - February 28, 2004

Date:
February 28, 2004

Contact:
Robert Korb, Jr, CFI, CFPS - Deputy Fire Marshal
Phone: (410) 632-5666 Ext.4; Email: rkorb@co.worcester.md.us

SPECIAL HAZARDS RESPONSE TEAM ASSISTS WITH TANKER EXPLOSION

The Worcester County Special Hazards Response Team (SHRT) responded to assist with a tanker explosion that occurred off our coast Saturday night. The SHRT was alerted to respond and assist the Ocean City Volunteer Fire Company, Ocean City Emergency Services and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) who were the primary agencies involved in decontaminating and treating injured patients.

Over 30 patients were initially intended to be transported from the accident scene, which was located approximately 50 miles offshore of Chincoteague, Virginia to the Ocean City Airport to be decontaminated prior to medical treatment. Two patients were flown by USCG helicopters to the Ocean City Airport in cardiac arrest. Six other patients were transported by USCG helicopters to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Virginia.

The vessel Bow Mariner was carrying approximately 3.5 million gallons of ethanol, about 200,000 gallons of fuel oil and 53,000 gallons of diesel fuel. The victims were covered in the petroleum products when they had to abandon the sinking ship.

The SHRT maintains a mobile decontamination unit located centrally in Snow Hill and can rapidly deploy to assist with the cleanup of victims involved in this type of incident. The two patients received at the Ocean City Airport were in cardiac arrest and it was decided to bypass the decontamination process and transport directly to the nearest hospital for treatment. One of the two patients was transported by Maryland State Police helicopter to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury and the other by ground to Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin. Both men succumbed to their injuries.

While no resources were utilized by either OCVFC or SHRT, crews remained on scene until approximately midnight awaiting any further recovered victims. Only nine of the 27 persons on board were ever located.

More information on this incident can be found at the following news websites:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,112831,00.html
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/South/02/29/tanker.explosion/index.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A15992-2004Feb29.html

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For further information, the Worcester County Fire Marshal's Office can be reached by calling 410-632-5666 or on the web at www.wcfmo.org.

Scene Photographs
(By: Jeffrey McMahon - Fire Marshal)