Roget: NP Explosion Could Have Been Preventable

The Oilfields Workers' Trade Union (OWTU) believes Friday's explosion at the Port of Spain compound of National Petroleum Limited was preventable. At a press conference on Monday morning, OWTU President-General, Ancel Roget, told the media, the explosion could have been avoided if proper health and safety policies had been developed. Mr Roget said, since October 14th, the Union has been asking for a report on the inspection of NP road tankers, the gantry and the compound in Sea Lots but has been meeting resistance from management. He said Friday's incident had the potential, not only to injure or kill workers but to create an explosion in Port of Spain, which would have been regrettable for many months. Three NP employees were injured when a tank which contained residual amounts of super fuel, exploded and caught fire. According to Mr Roget, the two employees are at the hospital in the Intensive Care Unit. He said the OWTU was suspicious of the way NP cleaned up the site of the explosion before the union was given a chance to inspect the scene. The OWTU sent a letter to the Occupational Safety & Health Agency and NP officials on Friday and Saturday, and up to Monday morning, it had not received a response.