Pinoy among three dead in gas leak on cruise ship in LA

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The names of three crew members who died after being exposed to toxic sewer gas as they repaired a waste pipe on a cruise ship were released Sunday, coroner’s officials said.

They were identified as Boris Dimitrov, 47, of Varna, Bulgaria; Willie Tirol, 41, of Pangasinan; and Radomilja Frane, 48, of Stobrec, Croatia.

An autopsy will be conducted later Sunday to determine the cause of death, said Barbara Nelson, investigator for the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.

In Manila, the Department of Labor and Employment yesterday reported that the Philippine government is now working for the immediate repatriation of the remains of Tirol.

Labor Secretary Patricia Sto. Tomas said based on initial information they gathered, Tirol was employed as a pipe fitting foreman on the Monarch of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean line ship, and was working on a leaking pipe when he was accidentally exposed to deadly fumes.

"Tirol and two other foreign workers were repairing the leaking pipe when they ingested hydrogen sulfide. They were instantly killed after 30-second exposure to the chemical," Sto. Tomas said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs, said the manning agency of Tirol has not contacted the department but assured assistance for his family.

The cruise ship had just returned to the port of Los Angeles on Friday with about 2,500 passengers and 850 crew members when the incident occurred. Passengers were getting off the ship at the time of the incident and none were affected, the company said in a statement. — With Mayen Jaymalin, Pia Lee-Brago