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Stolt Valor is a chemical tanker carrying approximately 13,000 metric tons of methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), which is used to increase oxygen content in gasoline throughout the U.S., to reduce carbon monoxide and ozone levels caused by auto emissions. MTBE is considered soluble, but not biodegradable.

Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) Battle Watch Officer reported the incident to the Marine Emergency Mutual Aid Center (MEMAC), which dispatched tugs with fire fighting capability to the scene.

U.S. 5th Fleet's Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) contacted Stolt-Nielsen Limited to establish a line of communication between the military and the shipping company's crisis response team. The environmental impact is unknown at this time.

Stolt Nielsen issued a statement saying:

"Stolt Tankers B.V., a subsidiary of Stolt-Nielsen Limited and operators and owners of MT Stolt Valor, confirm that the vessel suffered an explosion on board whilst transiting the Persian Gulf.

"A Coalition warship is presently on site and is providing assistance. We understand that 24 of the 25 crewmembers are safe and on board the Coalition vessel. One crewmember is currently missing. Families of all the crew are being contacted as a matter of urgency.

"Stolt is working in close cooperation with the authorities on site in order to establish the whereabouts of our missing seafarer and the condition of the vessel."

A blast occurred in the Bonyan Company’s chemical plant in the Alborz industrial city in Iran’s Gazvin province, the FARS news agency reported. The blast caused a fire, which killed two people and injured 20.

The fire has already been extinguished. The injured victims have been placed in the Rajai hospital in Gazvin, while three people were taken to the Tehran city hospital due to their critical injuries.

Tehran. An explosion at a state-run petrochemical plant in Asalouyeh in southern Iran killed five people on Wednesday, state television reported, AFP reports.
"The incident happened at around 14:30 pm (1000 GMT). Five people were killed and two were injured," the deputy head of Pars Special Economic Energy Zone, identified only as Mousavi, said.
He said firefighters had put out the fire in the Pardis petrochemical plant and that the cause of the accident was under investigation

An explosion at a petrochemical factory on Iran's largest oil terminal has killed four people and injured several others.

Iran's official news agency said high pressure in the central boiler of the factory led to an explosion and fire at the facility on Khark island in the Gulf.

So far the bodies of three of the victims have been found and the blaze is under control.