An explosion and fire aboard the Norwegian chemical tanker Bergstraum (9,494 dwt) was brought under control on the afternoon of July 28 after the blast struck the vessel outside Fredrikstad, Norway, near the entrance to Oslo Fjord. The ship was carrying sulfuric acid, raising concerns of a possible release, though operator Utkilen said the explosion occurred in an empty tank and did not affect the main cargo.

A large multi-agency response — two Redningsselskapet rescue boats, two police boats, a fireboat, the Norwegian Coast Guard, and Swedish rescue vessels — converged on the tanker, with firefighters ferried out by rescue boat and helicopter. The crew used foam to knock down the fire, and all 15 Baltic and Filipino crewmembers were accounted for without injuries.

Authorities later reported the fire extinguished with some residual smoke as cooling operations continued and the company awaited permission to move the vessel into port. The cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

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