ZAMBOANGA CITY – A cargo vessel caught fire last Friday night (April 16) and resulted in the death of two people and the injury of three others, reports reaching MDNN Zamboanga bureau said.
The reported vessel carried 150 drums of fuel when it suddenly caught fire and the conflagration became uncontrolled by responding fire brigades in this city and neighboring areas. Â
Major Chester Natividad, chief of the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) told reporters the fire started 10:00pm while M/L Saidamae was moored in Barangay Baliwasan private wharf.
Police investigators reported that the fire was ignited when mechanic Mauar Najar Hamimon tried to switch on the engine. Investigators are still trying to prove why the engine ignited the fire. Â
The investigation also added that after the fire started, a loud explosion also followed which also resulted in the conflagration. Responding firefighters tried to put off the blaze but failed.
Police authorities identified those who died as Rene Jimlani and Mujib Andam, whose addresses are still not known at press time.
Officer Natividad said the skipper, Jilam Madda and Hamison were badly hurt as they were thrown due to the big impact of the explosion.
While another crew Jupajal Ahmad contained several bruises and he was rushed to the city’s nearest hospital for treatment with Madda. Hamimon, on the other hand, was rushed to Zamboanga Brent Hospital.
Meanwhile, Chief Inspector Jacqueline Ortega reported that they managed to put out the fire around 6:35 in the morning of April 17th.
The fire bureau, in a separate report, has put the total damage of the blaze to around Two Million Pesos (P2,000,000)Â
