ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Five people were killed while four others survived after a wooden-hulled vessel and a fuel tanker caught fire late Monday at a private wharf in this city.
Superintendent Ariel Huesca, Police Station 11 chief, said Tuesday, March 28, that the incident occurred around 8 p.m. Monday at the Ben Go Wharf in the village of Baliwasan.
Huesca identified the fatalities as Rasdy Imlan, 24, chief mechanic; Abidin Mansul, the assistant of Imlan; Munsamir Sadjael, 18; Sidim Tingkahan, 15; and Muhammad Amsadila, 36.
Divers of the Zamboanga Coast Guard Station headed by Lieutenant Commander Alvin Dagalea retrieved the charred remains of the victims.
The survivors were identified as Ardi Jumdain, Asin Nur, Andung Sali and Alsid Sali. They were able to jump overboard when the vessel caught fire.
Huesca said investigation showed the fire ignited when Imlan switched on the generator while they were filling up around 100 drums of gasoline and 10 gallons of diesel from a parked fuel tanker.
He said the fuel tanker also caught fire. Both the tanker and vessel were burned and destroyed.
Huesca said fuel tanker driver, Leonardo Benson, was seated at the driver seat when the incident happened, but he survived as he managed to jump before the blaze engulfed the vehicle.
The M/L Satellite, a cargo wooden-hulled vessel, was scheduled to depart for Jolo, Sulu at the time of the incident.
The firemen, led by Chief Inspector Clint Cha, Zamboanga City Fire District marshal, contained the blaze around 10 p.m. Monday, March 27. (SunStar Philippines)