Huge Fires on Oil Barges in Alabama Finally Out; Three People in Critical Condition
On Wednesday night, an enormous fire exploded on two oil barges docked on the Mobile River in Alabama, badly injuring three people. After burning for hours, the flames are now out.
Firefighters and Coast Guard officials responded to the initial blasts at around 8:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday. The cause of the explosions is still unknown, but several further blasts erupted throughout the night. It wasn't until Thursday morning that the fires were finally put out, according to U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Carlos Vega.
The three people who were injured in the blasts were taken to University of South Alabama Medical Center. All three are now in critical condition.
One man who witnessed the explosions, Alan Waugh, described them as sounding " like bombs going off around. The sky just lit up in orange and red."
The explosions occurred near the Carnival cruise ship Triumph, which has been in Mobile for repairs since February. The Triumph sustained an engine fire that disabled the ship, requiring tugboats to pull it in to shore—an effort that took days and left passengers onboard living in disgusting, zoo-like conditions. There was no power or functional plumbing, which passengers said made things rather smelly.