Civil protection ‘not equipped’ for LNG tanker emergency

Updated at noon with CPD statement The Civil Protection Department does not yet have the necessary equipment to tackle a major accident related to the LNG tanker in Marsaxlokk, documents published by the Environment and Resources Authority show. In written observations made in July as part of the ongoing consultation process on the new gas-powered station, the CPD said that it needed specialised equipment, including industrial fire engines, to tackle major emergencies on land. But in a statement this afternoon (see below) the CPD said it has since procured the necessary equipment. Declaring it had no objection to the issue of the environmental permit which the new power station requires to start operations, the CPD had cautioned that certain conditions should be imposed. “Two brand new industrial fire-fighting response vehicles are to be procured for the purpose of responding to any LNG incident in the event that all the safety and precaution measures within the plant fail,” the CPD said. It also asked for a raft of other LNG-related equipment, including high- and low-expansion foam, LNG detection equipment and explosion-proof radios. While insisting on specific training for...