Cason

The incident

On 5 December 1987, the cargo boat the Cason, transporting 1,100 tonnes of chemicals, ran aground on the Spanish coast near Cape Finisterre. The cargo was composed of nearly 5,000 barrels, cans, containers and bags of flammable products (xylene, butanol, butyl acrylate, cyclohexanone, sodium), toxic products (anilin oil, diphenyl-methan, o-cresol, dibutyl phtalate) and corrosive products (phosphoric acid, phthalic anhydride).

The ship went on fire when the containers filled with sodium on the deck cargo came into contact with seawater. 23 out of the 31 crew members died during the fire.

Part of the cargo loaded on the deck was unloaded. But on night of 10 December, a series of explosions shook the vessel. The surrounding communities were panic-stricken and 15,000 people had to be evacuated within a radius of 5 km.