A Coast Guard report says a passing tugboat helped spark the massive explosions that rocked the Mobile River and injured three people in April.
A preliminary report released Saturday says workers were cleaning fuel storage tanks on two barges moored at Oil Recovery Co. in Mobile, Ala., on April 24.
The report says flammable vapors from the barges entered the engine room of the towing boat Safety Runner, causing a brief fire. Investigators believe the flames traveled back to the barges and resulted in the explosions.
The blast injured three workers and caused a 30-gallon oil spill in the Mobile River. Seven separate explosions occurred after the accident.
One of the injured workers filed suit days after the explosion, and that lawsuit is pending in Mobile.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Waymos Are Way Safer Than Human Drivers, IIHS Finds 
Insurance Woes Amid US-Iran War Stall Airlines’ Return to Dubai 
Lawsuit Accuses Meta of Using AI to Target Workers With Medical Conditions for Layoffs 
What Home Age Actually Tells Us About Claims — And What It Doesn’t 
Want to stay up to date?
Get the latest insurance news
sent straight to your inbox.