Welders died from tanker explosion

The two are believed to have been thrown several feet from where they were welding when an explosion rocked the the engine room area where repair work was being carried out on Wednesday.

The autopsies were carried out by Dr Eastlyn Mcdonald Borris at the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday. Officials from V Ships of Miami and their team of attorneys yesterday met with 22 crewmen who survived the fire and explosion aboard the MV Tradewind Sunrise, which left four employees dead. The meeting took place at the Ambassador Hotel, Long Circular Road. V Ships official, Mike Robertson, arrived in Trinidad on Wednesday afternoon and is awaiting a report from the investigators to find out what caused the fire and explosion aboard the oil tanker on Wednesday. Robertson told Newsday that he will remain in the country until a report is submitted and the cause of the fire is ascertained.

He also revealed that protection and indemnity insurance lawyers are also in the country and they also met with the crew members who survived the oil tanker disaster. In terms of compensation, Robertson added that the oil tanker is insured and arrangements will be made shortly for relatives of the victims.

Another official of V Ships, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed that the victims were conducting repair work on the main engine in the engine room.

He added that there could have been fuel in the fuel tanks located at the stern of the tanker.

The bodies of Wayne Caldera and Anthony Hamlett, who died on Wednesday, bore no burn marks, leading investigators to believe that they were killed by the explosion. The Coast Guard said yesterday that the search will continue for the bodies of Lester Charles of Carenage and Eustace Carrilo of Guaico, Tamana.

The two men are also believed to have been killed in the explosion. Nizam Mohammed of Inter-Isle Construction, the company which hired the four victims to do repair work on the oil tanker, yesterday said that counselling is being provided for those who witnessed the explosion and fire. Harry Hamlett, father of victim Anthony Hamlett, said that he was finally able to view his son’s body yesterday, and assured that the body bore no burn marks.

He said that the only injury he saw was a gaping cut on the torso of his son’s body.

Hamlett made funeral arrangements for his son yesterday. Minister of Labour Danny Montano visited the Hamlett’s home in East Dry River yesterday to extend his condolences. Fire officers probing the explosion said they are trying to ascertain if the oil tanker had emptied the necessary hydrocarbons onboard before conducting welding operations.

A professional welder employed aboard another tanker yesterday said that the MV Tradewind was supposed to have safety officers in place to oversee operations related to all "hot works" activities.

An interim report on the explosion is expected to be made available by next Wednesday.