TWO people were injured after a wooden-hulled vessel set to sail to the province of Sulu caught fire, an official disclosed on Sunday, February 3.

Superintendent Jhufel Brañanola, Zamboanga City Fire District marshal, said the incident happened around 8:40 a.m., Sunday at a private wharf in the village of Baliwasan.

Brañanola said that M/L NS Express was leaving the private wharf en route to Siasi, Sulu, when it caught fire.

Brañanola identified the victims as Kasma Mustarani Sabiran, 32; and, Jabiran Erot, 65. They were hospitalized for burn injury.

He said they have yet to determine the origin and cause of the fire that reached third alarm status.

He said based on initial information they gathered the vessel was carrying 14 people, 75 drums of gasoline, two drums of diesel, 35 Liquefied Petroleum Gas cyclinders and other dry goods when it caught fire.

He added that the other people aboard the vessel were safely rescued and were taken to the Zamboanga Coast Guard Station. (SunStar Philippines)