I am surprised that there aren't any postings about the explosion and fire the took place around August 1982 in Porta Torres, Sardinia. Really bad. I don't really remember much about what happened immediately after the explosion. I came to lying on the deck next to the Chief's mess dumb waiter. I put on an OBA and went into the mess decks. Could not see the hand in front of your face. I assisted with a couple re-flash watches. Some good men got hurt really bad. One was my division CPO, EMC Andrews. Great guy to serve under. He was badly burned. I have heard dozens of stories about what really happened. Somebody who knows, please help.

I was a (very) young SKSN at the time. We, in supply S-1, had a storage locker aft next to a fuel tank. Previous damage/collision created a crack in the wall and allowed fuel to leak into our locker. There was a chemical called Calcium Hypocloride stored there. I believe it was used for cleaning veggies. Anyway, as it was explained to me the fuel and chemical mixed to generate heat and under pressure caused the fumes to explode. Later in the day I was sent into the storeroom to bail fuel (bucket by bucket), while the reflash watch stood over the hatch watching. I was pulled out when medical saw me in there.