TWO crewmen — a skipper and a mechanic — perished while three others were injured in a fire that razed a wooden-hulled vessel loaded with 150 drums of fuel late Friday, April 16, 2021, in Zamboanga City, officials said.
Police Captain Edwin Duco, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula information officer, said the fire that broke out around 10:20 p.m. Friday, razed M/L Saidamae, which at the time of the incident, was moored at a private wharf in Baliwasan village, Zamboanga City.
Duco said fire broke out following a spark and succeeded by an explosion when Mauar Najar Hamimon, the mechanic of M/L Saidamae switched on the engine as they prepare to sail.
He identified the fatalities as Mujib Andam and Rene Jimlani, who perished during the incident as they failed to get off the vessel.
Duco said the skipper, Jilam Madda, and Hamimon were wounded as they were thrown overboard brought about by the explosion.
He said another crew member, Jupajal Ahamad, was injured during the incident.
Two other crew members were unscathed as they were not aboard the vessel at the time of the incident. They were Benhar Idani, assistant skipper, and Almujil Sabital, crew member.
Duco said the estimated worth of property damaged was P2 million based on the report of the Zamboanga City Police Office. (SunStar Zamboanga)