BARGE EXPLOSION LEADS TO OIL SPILL: 48,000 liters of oil leaked into Iloilo City waters – Coast Guard

By Jennifer P. Rendon

An estimated 48,000 liters of oil spilled into the waters of Iloilo City following an explosion in a power barge operated by AC Energy Philippines in Bo. Obrero, Lapuz, Iloilo City afternoon of July 3, 2020.

Lieutenant Commander Joe Luviz Mercurio, Philippine Coast Guard – Iloilo Station commander, said the spill has covered around 2,000 square meters of the city’s waterfront.

“That’s based on the oil spill boom that we have placed in the area,” Mercurio said.

PCG personnel set up 12 segments of fence-type oil spool boom in the area where the spill occurred. A segment covers around 120 meters.

Oil companies with depots in the area such as Petron and Shell also brought in their oil spill booms to augment.

As of 7 p.m. Friday, Mercurio said the oil spill was “almost contained,” save a few oil sheens that escaped from the boom.

He said they will know the damage the oil spill has caused after further assessment today, July 4.

Meanwhile, initial reports from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) – Region 6 revealed that “hot works,” or more commonly known as acetylene activities, were conducted by the barge personnel before the explosion happened at around 2:30 p.m. Friday.

The explosion could have originated from the barge’s hull, according to BFP-6 regional director Fire Senior Superintendent Jerry Candido.

No fatality or injury was reported.

Based on initial investigation, the explosion happened in the fuel tank which has a capacity of more than 300,000 liters of bunker fuel.

Candido said they are trying to ascertain if NAPOCOR secured a “hot work” permit prior to their activity.

“But so far, we have found none,” he said.

Had the firm secured a permit, Candido said they could have deployed a fire truck or required safety precautions in the work area.

“If Investigation will show that they have no permit prior to their welding activities, there must be negligence on their part,” he said.

Presently, Candido said they would attend to the probe on the cause of the explosion.

“We have to rule if it’s related to the hot works they conducted or not,” he said.

Candido also assigned personnel to assess and act once the oil spill reaches the coastal residences in Bo. Obrero, which is a thickly-populated area.

Fire personnel were placed on standby with firefighting equipment in case the spill results in a fire.

Meanwhile, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) also responded to the scene to assist in the assessment.