Italian oil and gas contractor Saipem has confirmed that one UK worker is among seven staff in intensive care after a fire engulfed a pipe lay vessel on Wednesday
The Milan-headquartered firm said the blast occured around 6:30pm on Wednesday on the Israfil Huseynov.
Saipem announced yesterday that 14 crew had been injured in the Caspian Sea after a fire broke out at the Shah Deniz II project.
The victims were later transferred to another vessel, Citadel, in order to reach a hospital.
Saipem revealed to day that the fire had been caused in relation to “maintenance operations” during pipe laying.
Seven of the 14 staff were taken to intensive care due to the severity of the burns suffered.
The injured workers are of Italian, English, Azerbaijani, Rumanian, Malaysian and Croatian nationality.
A Saipem spokesman said: “An explosion occurred on the vessel “Israfil Huseynov” operated by Saipem for pipe laying in the Caspian Sea in the framework of the Shah Deniz II project.
“In the early hours of this morning, the transportation to hospital of the fourteen people involved in the accident, all employees of the Saipem Group, was completed.
“The incident was related to maintenance operations on an item of equipment during pipe-laying activities.
“Seven of the fourteen injured are in intensive care due to the burns suffered. The injured people are of Italian, English, Azerbaijani, Rumanian, Malaysian and Croatian nationality.
“In expressing its sympathy to the employees and their families, Saipem will continue to ensure the immediate repatriation of those who have suffered the least serious injuries and the transfer of the other injured people to specialized medical centres.”