Coast Guard chief Vice Admiral Arthur Gosingan said welding work was being done on one of M/T Daniella Natividad’s tanks when the work apparently triggered an explosion and fire that left the two crewmen — welder Jimmy Rebosa, 43, and pipefitter Pedrito Parayday, 46 — seriously burned.
Gosingan ruled out a terrorist attack, but said the incident was under investigation.
"They already contained the fire," he said. There was no report of any oil spill or threat of the vessel sinking, he said.
Gosingan said the Coast Guard sent a tugboat to help put out the fire on the tanker.
Arnie Santiago, an officer of the Maritime Industry Authority, said the two crewmen suffered second- and third-degree burns.
He said the tanker was not carrying oil at the time it was being repaired, but that oil residue in the tank may have caused the explosion and fire. — Raffy Viray, Ric Sapnu, Nestor Etolle, Edu Punay