67 injured in Saen Saeb canal boat explosion (Updated Sunday)

(New: CCTV footage) At least sixty people were injured, two critically, early Saturday morning when the engine on a Bangkok commuter boat exploded, pitching several passengers into one of the city's canals, emergency officials said.

Sunday morning update

Here are a few details from this morning's Bangkok Post story

The final injury toll from yesterday's explosion on a Khlong Saen Saep commuter boat appears to be 67. There are no reports of deaths.

The explosion took place while the gas-powered boat, which was carrying about 80 passengers, was docking at Wat Thep Leela pier at 6.21am, causing a mad scramble of commuters to reach the pier.

Darun Saengchai, deputy permanent secretary for transport, said 67 passengers were hurt in the blast. Most of the injuries were minor and only 15 people remained in hospital last night.

Among the injured are one Japanese and one Lao national, according to Hua Mak Police Station.

Deputy national police chief Pongsapat Pongcharoen said a preliminary investigation found the blast was not caused by a gas tank or boat engine problem.

It was believed that a substantial amount of gas had leaked from the pipeline connecting a gas tank and the engine. Heat from the engine then ignited the gas, Pol Gen Pongsapat said.

Afternoon update

A LNG (liquefied natural gas) leak is expected to have led to the explosion which took place in the engine compartment. Here is more from our online reporters:

Sanit Mahathavorn, acting chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said an initial investigation found the explosion was caused by a gas leak at the rear of the boat, according to INN News.

Most of the injured passengers sustained burns on their bodies, he said.

The boat, operated by Family Transport (2002) Co, was travelling from the Wat Sribunruang pier to Pratunam.

Family Transport has 70 boats plying the Saen Saep canal. There were unconfirmed reports that all of its 30 LNG-powered boats have been suspended from service.

But Deputy Transport Minister Ormsin Chivapruck clarified at noon that Family Transport was told to switch to using diesel on all of its boats and keep providing services normally as a service suspension would affect a lot of people.

Family Transport managing director Chaovalit Metayaprapas said the company would take responsibility for all medical costs and damage.

He explained that his company had been using LNG without incident for some time.

"Its use had been approved properly by authorities and the installation was supervised and checked by experts including PTT Plc," he said, adding that he personally believed the flaw was limited to just the one boat.

Latest: 16:30

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has recommended suspending all services operated by Family Transport (2002) Co Ltd after the engine of one of its canal commuter boats exploded, injuring at least 60 people on Saturday morning.

The suspension, if approved by the Transport Ministry, would remain in place until police determine the cause of the accident, said Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra on Saturday.

"Although the company said it would stop using gas-powered boats, we can't be sure. If the incident recurs, the losses will be enormous, especially on weekdays when a lot of people use the service," he said after the BMA held a meeting to discuss the incident.

Noon update

Details and pictures are still coming in from the scene, as divers and rescue workers search for passengers said to have gone into the water. CCTV footage of the explosion has now been released off the moment the explosion took place.

There is no indication that this was an act of terrorism. Instead, authorities believe a faulty engine was responsible. The accident happened about 6:20 am according to Post Today. The injury toll has risen to at least 60, likely as many as 67, with two said to be in critical condition. Authorities fear that at least one person was killed, but this has not yet been confirmed.

Morning story

60 injured as boat engine explodes in Bangkok

Bangkok, AFP – Fifty (now revised upwards to at least 60) people were injured on Saturday when the engine on a Bangkok commuter boat exploded, pitching several passengers into one of the city's canals, emergency officials said.

The blast occured at around 6.20am near Wat Thep Leela pier near Ramkhamhaeng Soi 39 in Bang Kapi district.

The boat was ferrying passengers on a major waterway in the eastern outskirts of the city, which boasts an extensive network of canals teeming with motorised commuter boats during rush hour.

"As of now, we have 50 injured and sent to five hospitals, of these two are in critical condition," an official at the Interior Ministry's disaster centre.

The city's Erawan emergency medical centre also confirmed that at least 50 were hurt in the accident, although the nature and severity of the injuries was not immediately clear.

Images provided by police showed that the boat was rattled by the explosion but still largely intact.

Local police commander Sarayuth Junnawat said the explosion was believed to have been caused by a fuel leak onboard.

The boat was travelling on the Saen Saeb canal, which runs through the heart of the capital city and eventually connects to its main Chao Praya River.

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