RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Brazil's main grains port of Paranagua in the southern state of Parana closed on Monday after a vessel exploded, a Parana state civil defense service official said.
Out of a crew of 31, four were still unaccounted for and 20 were injured, the official, Alessandro Galeski, said.
He said the vessel was flying a Chilean flag but he could not immediately confirm local press reports that the name of the ship was "Vicuna".
A Paranagua port spokesman said that the vessel exploded as it was loading methanol next to state oil company Petrobras' terminal where there are many many fuel tanks.
"The flames could be seen from a long way off," said the port spokesman, adding that the vessel later sank.
TV Globo said two explosions occurred at around 7:30 p.m. local time on the vessel.
"A vessel exploded when the vessel hit the pier of a fuel terminal operated by Cataline," said Edgar Yamagami, a Parana state government spokesman. "Everything has stopped at the port."
Paranagua is Brazil's main port for exporting soy products, the country's biggest agricultural export worth some $8 billion in 2003. However little soy is currently being exported as the main soy export season starts in February.
"A vessel exploded when the vessel hit the pier of a fuel terminal"
Thanx EndTheMatrix.
So,a news clip saying that there was another boat involed?
A Paranagua port spokesman said that the vessel exploded as it was loading methanol...
Nasty stuff. Methanol is an alcohol; readily evaporates are relatively low temps. More than likely it was an accident.