Marine Terminal Worker(s) Killed in Grain Terminal Explosion [Puerto San Martin (Rosario), Argentina ~ 26 December 2017]

Posted by admin on Dec 29, 2017 in Bulletins

Reports coming to Blueoceana Company indicate that a 61 year old marine terminal worker was killed in a likely grain dust explosion Tuesday morning. Additional reports say that nine other workers at the Chinese owned grain export facility located about 180 miles upriver from Buenos Aires were hospitalized with severe burns. Three of them are in an intensive care unit; breathing through the use of respirators.

Domingo Ramon Gimenez is said to have died instantly, as the explosion ripped apart the area of the terminal he was working in. The burn unit at the local hospital identified the injured as Jesús Zárate (35); Catriel Tobares (21); Darío Gómez (31); Juan Carlos Castillo (42); Luis Jesús Jaime (57); Ezequiel Sendra (28); Marcelo Novello (57); Mario Castillo (age not given); and one additional individual (age not given).

We understand that the labor organization representing workers at the COFCO facility has begun a 48 hour strike in protest of alleged poor safety conditions. COFCO (China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation) is a global agribusiness giant with a supply chain established on five continents. With a presence in 35 countries, the company employs approximately 13,000 people.

Below, we provide links to selected media accounts as well as a link to a short video clip said to represent the resultant fire.

Link to media account:  Argentine port blast kills one, injures others- China’s COFCO (122717)

Link to media account:  Explosion at COFCO’s Argentine port kills one, injures eight (122717)

Link to Video:  Explosión en la planta Cofco, ex Nidera, en Puerto General San Martín 1_640x480_MOV

Update (30 December 2017):

Further reports received today indicate that another worker, severely injured in Tuesday’s explosion, has died of his injuries. Sr. Juan Castillo, 42, succumbed to severe burns while in the intensive care unit of the British Hospital at Gran Rosario.

Link to media account: Juan Castillo (42) became the second fatal victim of the incident registered at the Cofco plant in Puerto San Martín (122917)

Moreover, further information coming to us relates an account wherein the worker who died at the scene last Tuesday (Sr. Domingo Ramon Gimenez) had, moments before the initial explosion, insisted that a cleaning crew of young workers break for lunch. His successful efforts in removing those workers from the space where the explosion was to occur saved at least twenty lives.

Link to media account:  Hero- before dying he saved 20 young people (122917)