Bodies trapped in tanker for 21 hours

The two were killed in an explosion and subsequent fire on the oil tanker which occurred on Wednesday just after 2.30 pm. Their bodies however were not removed until 1 pm yesterday.

Specially trained fire officers spent several hours aboard the oil tanker, with undertakers of Allen’s Funeral Home, to remove the charred bodies of Caldera and Hamlett, which were trapped in the hull among smouldering rubble.

The bodies were viewed by District Medical Officer (DMO) Dr Clerk and then removed to Staubles Bay, where anxious relatives of the two victims were able to view the bodies.

On Wednesday night, attempts were made to remove the bodies but fumes believed to be poisonous prevented this from taking place.

Homicide officers and the DMO returned to the fuel tanker yesterday for the removal of the bodies.

Relatives of Caldera and Hamlett were allowed to view and identify the bodies, which were then removed to the Forensic Science Centre.

Forensic experts are expected to conduct tests aboard the tanker today to determine what caused the explosion and fire.

On Wednesday, the explosion ripped a hole in the tanker’s left side, while the blast caused shock waves onshore.

Two other welders, David Carillo, 43, of Guaico Tamana, and Lester Charles, 45, of Baird Street, Carenage are still missing.

They are believed to have been blown to bits by the explosion.

Inter-Island Con-struction, the company with which Caldera and Hamlett worked, promised to issue a release on the incident.

At Carenage yesterday, Patsy Caldera mourned her son’s death. She said the last time she saw Caldera was on Father’s Day, when he visited her.

She described him as a cool person who was good to his family.

The father of two was looking forward to attending the graduation ceremony of his 12-year-old daughter Delicia, a student of Tranquility Govern-ment School. That graduation took place yesterday.

The woman overcome by grief revealed that she was in her parlour when she heard the explosion, but never imagined that her son was killed at the same time.

She said no one is telling her how her son died, and she wants answers.

At Baird Street in Carenage, relatives of Lester Charles, 45, gathered in the gallery of their home waiting to find out if Charles’ body had been found.

Neighbours passing in front of the house extended their sympathies to the anxious family.

Relatives said Charles lefthome around 6.30 am on Wednesday, saying he had a welding job aboard a ship. They never knew that it would be the last time they would see him alive.

They also accused the authorities of keeping them in the dark about the incident.

They contacted the company that Charles worked for as well as the Coast Guard hoping to get information, without success.

They said they plan to keep a round-the-clock vigil at their home until the body is found. At East Dry River in Port-of-Spain, Harry Hamlett, the father of Anthony Hamlett, was close to tears as he grappled to come to terms with the tragedy. He said his son was a hard-working person with a bright future and the death has come as a shock to him.

He also had problems getting information about his son’s death and accused the authorities of trying to cover up the matter.

He said that he is a poor man who is hoping that funeral expenses will be incurred by someone.

Police investigators told Newsday that 22 crew members of the oil tanker survived the fire by jumping overboard while thick, black smoke billowed from the hole in the ship. The workers were rescued by boat owners who saw the explosion.

The explosion occurred on the left side of the vessel while routine maintenance work was taking place.

Melville Shipping is the local agent for the tanker.

Officers of the Carenage Police Station and homicide officers are investigating.