site.btaOctober 27, 2001: Fire Erupts on Bulgarian Oil Tanker Khan Asparuh in Novorossiysk

On October 27, 2001, at about 5:00 a.m. EET, a fire broke out on the Bulgarian Navy tanker Khan Asparuh, loaded with 80,035 tonnes of oil, shortly after its departure from the port of Novorossiysk in Russia. Under the command of Captain Naiden Nikulkin, the crew managed to extinguish the fire with the available firefighting means in 45 minutes. The fire resumed and was again extinguished. Six sailors were injured in the incident - Batil Batilov, Filip Vulchev, Angel Pergelov, Stoyan Stoyanov, Krassimir Kiryakov and Yordan Markov. 

Here's how BTA's English Service Department reported the events at the time:

Bulgarian s/s Khan Asparuh Catches Fire in Novorossiysk, Six Injured

Sofia, October 27 (BTA) - The Bulgarian vessel Khan Asparuh of the Navigation Maritime Bulgare fleet caught fire on leaving Port Novorossiysk Saturday morning, Sonya Momchilova of the Transport and Communication Ministry's press service told BTA over the telephopne.

Six persons got injured in the incident. Two of them are worse but not in critical condition.

Later on it was specified that the fires on Khan Asparuh were two, one provoking the other. The seamen extinguished the fires, using whatever they could lay a hand on, Momchilova  said. When the Russian services got on board the ship, the fire was out.

A team of Transport and Communication Ministry's inspectors  are leaving for the site of the incident on Sunday to find out the causes of the fires.

The press attache of Navigation Maritime Bulgare, Vladimir Dimitrov, later revealed the following details.

The fire broke out on the tanker Khan Asparuh, carrying 80,035 t of crude oil, 30 minutes after it sailed off Novorossiysk, at around 5:00 hrs Bulgarian time. It spread to the superstructure on the left of the deck, the ship's master, Naiden Nikulkin, said.

The crew succeeded in extinguishing the fire with the available antifire equipment and materials in 45 minutes. Flames broke out again but were extinguished.  A fire boat was called to come from the coast.

Six sailors were slightly injured but have no burns. Batil Batilov, Filip Vulchev, Angel Pergelov, Stoyan Stoyanov, Krassimir Kiryakov and Yordan Markov were sent to a clinic in Novorossiysk for tests.

According to what the investigators have found so far, the fire spread from a room with hydraulic equipment in the superstructure which is most badly hit by the flames.

The crew and the ship's cargo are at no risk, Navigation Maritime Bulgare representatives said. Khan Asparuh will remain at roadstead until the investigation is closed. This is the first tanker with a tonnage of 100,000 built in Bulgaria in 1977.

This is the second fire on a Bulgarian tanker this year, On May 7, an explosion caused fire on the tanker Mesta in the harbour of Constanta, Romania.