Gunsan Coast Guard Takes Measures to Prevent Fire and Explosion Accidents Caused by Fumigants on Ships

Gunsan Maritime Police Station (Chief Park Sang-wook) announced on the 30th that it will conduct a special inspection until the end of October to minimize damage from recent fire accidents caused by fumigants on ships.

According to Gunsan Maritime Police, a total of five fire and safety accidents caused by fumigants on ships have occurred in the West Sea jurisdiction over the past four years.

On the 13th, a fire broke out for unknown reasons in the fumigants stored in the forehold of a grain carrier at Gunsan Port, Jeonbuk. Eight crew members were transported to the hospital and treated for smoke inhalation and other injuries.

Coast Guard 'Safety Rules for Preventing Fire and Explosion Accidents of Disused Fumigation Agents' Poster. [Photo by Gunsan Coast Guard]

Fumigants are chemicals used to prevent pest infestation when transporting grain, lumber, and other goods by ship. These disinfectants mainly consist of aluminum phosphide. They are stable when dry but must be handled carefully as they pose a high risk of fire or explosion when in contact with water or moisture.

When a fire occurs on a ship, it is usually extinguished by spraying seawater with fire hoses. Fumigant fires are classified as metal fires (Class D). The Maritime Police stated, "Fumigants react violently and explode upon contact with water," and advised, "Do not spray water directly when extinguishing the fire; instead, use fire extinguishers designed for metal fires or dry sand."

Gunsan Maritime Police will check 12 locations, including ships handling fumigants, cargo handling facilities, and agencies, to ensure the availability and use of fumigant handling guidelines and the implementation of internal safety training. They plan to conduct accident response prevention education and promotional activities.

Park Sang-wook, Chief of Gunsan Maritime Police Station, urged caution, saying, "Since ships contain many flammable materials such as oil, fires can cause significant damage."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.