In a handling and transportation centre, a spill of naphta and crude oil took place at 8:45 a.m. during the ‘parking’ manoeuvre of a tank ship transporting 22,000 tonnes of gasoline. A human error made the tanker crash into the jetty for the loading/unloading activities, causing the rupture of at least the naphtha and the crude oil pipelines. The flammable liquids spilled into the sea and ignited (spark from the impact or short-circuit in the electrical system due to the collapse of the platform into the sea), creating a huge fire. The fire caused the collapse of 275 m of harbour protection as well as the electrical substation of the platform.

Two ships that were discharging respectively naphta and butadiene managed to leave the anchorage by means of their engines, avoiding domino effects. The fuel feeding valves were closed and the fire fighting systems were activated ; the fire was under control at 10:00 and extinguished at 5 p.m.

The external emergency plan of the Industrial Poligon of Tarragona was activated and a Centre of Integrated Operative Coordination (CECOPI) was created in order to take decisions on the protection methods and to inform the population and media.

Operations to prevent sea contamination were carried out after the fire was brought under control. Barriers to protect beaches were laid out and adsorbers were used to adsorb the oil. The pollution abatement was continued during the following days, which allowed avoiding an an important sea contamination.