Russian Transport Refrigerator Engulfed in Flames

Sweeping fire broke out at the Russian transport refrigerator "The Pollux" in the central part of the Sea of Okhotsk on Thursday, December 18
The refrigerator was damaged at about 250 miles from the Cape of Elizabeth in the north of the Island of Sakhalin. About 50 vessels of different types and purposes employed for the winter herring expedition are concentrated now in the disaster site.

The Sakhalin Marine rescue center told Interfax that The Pollux" sent a SOS at 6:40 p.m. Thursday. By that time, the sweeping fire engulfed a great part of the refrigerator's superstructure.

The trawler Tropic moored to the burning refrigerator and started fighting against the fire. Captain of the trawler "Aniva" from Sakhalin, Vladimir Bagno was appointed the coordinator of the rescue operation. The Sakhalin trawler approached very close to "The Pollux" engulfed with fire and was ready to immediately evacuate the crew in case of danger, the rescue center reports.

The displacement of "The Pollux" is 8.419 tons, the maximum length is about 120 meters and the width - 17 meters. The vessel is registered at the port of Vladivostok. According to the normative documents, up to 37 people may be on "The Pollux" board.

As was reported later, December 22, the fire was liquidated on Sunday. Rescuers pumped water out of the flooded compartments; now the vessel’s careen makes up 10-12 degrees. For the time being, weather conditions are unfavorable for rescue operations. All members of the crew were evacuated earlier, on the night of Friday.