May 20, 2008 6:17 pm US/Eastern
Gas Leak Kills 3 At Port Everglades
BSO: Argon Gas Leaking From Shipping Container Blamed For Deaths
PORT EVERGLADES (CBS4) ―
Three employees of a company which unloads ships at Port Everglades were killed early Tuesday morning when they were apparently overcome by gas leaking from a tank aboard the cargo ship Madeline. Two of the workers apparently died when they tried to help a third worker after they saw that co-worker collapse.
Broward Sheriff's Office spokesman Keyla Concepcion said three men were overcome by what is believed to be Argon gas while working on the ship docked at the port's Berth 30. When paramedics arrived just before 3:30 Tuesday morning, they said the workers were 'unresponsive'.
Paramedics were unable to revive them, and they were later pronounced dead.
They've been identified as Hayman Sooknanan, 47, of Oakland Park; James Cason, 43, of Fort Lauderdale and Rene Robert Dutertre Jr.; 25, of Wilton Manors.
"He was a wonderful man," sighed Dutertre's widow to
CBS4 Peter D'Oench, adding "he was the love of my life."
Chris Sooknanan said of hearing the loss of his father, "I realize, he'll never be coming back."
Dave Randall explained to
CBS4 that he saw the events unfold while he was looking down from atop his crane. He tried to help but added, "then I was overcome" by the gas, "but a ship crewmember pulled me out."
Concepcion said the three dead workers were employed by Florida Transportation Services, which provides services to ships at Port Everglades.
She told
CBS4's Marybel Rodriguez earlier in the day that workers saw Sooknanan, a supervisor, go in to an area of the ship's interior and collapse. A second worker, Cason, approached Sooknanan in an attempt to help him, and also collapsed. Yet another worker, Dutertre Jr., attempted to go to their aid, and was also felled.
"It was a very unfortunate and tragic incident," said Concepcion. "It appears one co-worker just trying to help another co-worker and it just resulted in tragedy."
Paramedics and HAZMAT workers were called, and other workers were kept away from the area.
BSO said a tank of Argon gas was found to be leaking in the area, so the Madeline's captain used a crane to snag the tank and carry it on deck, where the gas could safely dissipate.
Paramedics found all three crewmembers apparently suffocated
Argon is colorless, odorless, tasteless and nontoxic in both its liquid and gaseous forms, which is often used for refrigeration and welding.
It is not poisonous, but if breathed in concentration it can interfere with the body's ability to use oxygen, causing suffocation.
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