M/V VENUS: Explosion and Fire on the St. Lawrence River on 4 May 1972 with Loss of Life.

Abstract

On May 3, 1972, operations to clean the cargo tanks were started on the M/V VENUS, anchored in the St. Lawrence River. The washing of the tanks commenced at 1800. Shortly after midnight on May 4, the chief mate instructed the third mate to supervise the gas-freeing of the tanks. At approximately 0050, an explosion occurred in the No. 1 center tank. Within a minute, a second and more severe explosion caused extensive structural damage in the No. 1 port and center tanks. The master of the VENUS was killed as a result of the second explosion. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the initial explosion was the presence of explosive gasoline vapors in the forward deckhouse, where ignition sources were permitted, and the existence of a trail of vapor from the deckhouse back to the gases within the No. 1 center tank.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 27, 1974
Accession Number
AD0782846

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Coast Guard

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Energetic Materials
  • Explosions
  • Explosives
  • Fires
  • Gasoline
  • Ignition
  • Materials
  • Transportation

Readers

  • Combustion science or combustion engineering.
  • Maritime Security/Maritime Homeland Security
  • Mathematics or Statistics