Carinval Ship Evacuated Due To Fuel Barge Explosions

Firefighters in Alabama evacuated a Carnival Cruise Lines ship Wednesday night after two fuel barges burst, leaving three workers with serious burns.

The cause of the blast is still under investigation, but Coast Guard Lt. Mike Clausen told the Associated Press that it speculated that it may be due to a spark caused by crew members cleaning. The flames were eventually extinguished by Thursday as the ship was docked in the Mobile River.

The injured workers aboard the fuel barge remain in critical condition, but no one on the Carnival ship was injured. The crew of the Carnival Triumph ship were across the river from the barges as it was being repaired; the ship had broken down in the Gulf of Mexico in February.

Onlookers and those who live along the riverbank gathered on the shore as those onboard were evacuated into the shipyard.

"It literally sounded like bombs going off around. The sky just lit up in orange and red," Alan Waugh, who works at the Fort Conde Inn nearby, told the AP. "We could smell something in the air, we didn't know if it was gas or smoke."

After the initial 8:30 p.m. EDT explosion, several others continued into the night until about 2 a.m., the Mobile Fire and Rescue Department told the New York Times. The department said it would send a hazardous materials team to determine if it was safe before fire officials were allowed aboard.

The Salvation Army also extended aid to the evacuated, providing hot food and beverages until they were able to enter the ships.

All Carnival crew members were given clearance to resume work Thursday morning.

The explosions did not hinder the ship's repairs, according to WKRG news. It is expected to be back in use in Galveston, Texas on July 13.