25 boats in Visakhapatnam Harbour Fire: loss over ₹30 crore

Visakhapatnam Harbour Fire

The fire broke out in an area near the Visakhapatnam Container Terminal and an Indian Oil Corporation facility where fishing boats were anchored. After receiving information about the accident, firefighters rushed to the spot, Visakhapatnam District Fire Officer S Renukayya told PTI. “We pressed 12 fire tenders into service and sought the help of the National Disaster Response Force and the Visakhapatnam Port Trust,” he said.

At least 25 fishing boats turned to ashes after a massive fire at a harbour in Vishakhapatnam late last night. An Indian Navy vessel had to be brought in to bring the fire under control as multiple fire engines struggled to douse the flames. A fire broke out in a jetty area here in the early hours of Monday in which at least 25 fishing boats were gutted, officials said.

The cause of the blaze, which broke out in the wee hours and was doused by around 4 am, is yet to be ascertained, according to officials, who said the fire started in a boat in the zero jetty area and spread quickly. Each of the boats cost nearly 15 lakh, putting the estimated loss in the incident in ₹ 4-5 crores range.

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The official said there were no reports of any casualties so far. According to Renukayya, the firefighters managed to control the fire from spreading to other boats in the vicinity within half an hour. It took almost two hours to douse the fire, he added.

Visakhapatnam Deputy Commissioner of Police-Zone II K Ananda Reddy said the intervening night of Sunday and Monday was quite windy, causing the fire to spread quickly among the boats made of fibre (plastic) and anchored closely. “Many of these boats also carry up to 5,000 litres of diesel as the fishermen venture into the sea for weeks. Many boats were also laden with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders which the fisherfolk use for cooking,” Reddy added.

The fire erupted in one of the boats harboured at a jetty around midnight, triggering in an explosion of its diesel engine. Soon, the fire spread to adjacent boats and the entire Viskahapatnam fishing harbour was engulfed inthe blaze. A group of fishermen present at the harbour raised an alarm and alerted the police. “Soon after coming to know about the fire mishap, the police rushed there along with three fire tenders, followed by another three fire tenders to extinguish the fire. Around 25 boats were reduced to ashes,” Deputy Commissioner of Police, Visakhapatnam, K Anand Reddy told reporters.

Senior police officer Ananda Reddy said the fire broke out around 11:30 pm. “Cylinders on boats are causing blasts, so we are asking people to stay away. Fire engines are working to control the fire,” he said. “The cause of the fire is yet to be confirmed. No casualties were reported. A case has been filed and investigation is underway,” he added. The fishing harbour belongs to the Vizag Port Trust. So the probe will involve port, fisheries and police authorities.

There were as many as eight explosions which officials suspect to be that of LPG cylinders. Considering the critical location of the fire, Reddy said Vizag Steel Plant fire brigade and the Navy were also alerted, while controlling the fire without further spread proved to be a big task. According to estimates, each boat is valued between Rs 35 lakh and Rs 50 lakh, he said.

READ | Visakhapatnam fishing harbour fire, loss over ₹30 crore

Vishakhapatnam police commissioner Ravi Shankar said the fire started on a fishing boat late at night. “The boat was cut off and sent adrift to ensure the fire did not spread to the others. But the winds and water flow brought it back to the jetty. Soon, the other boats were burning too,” he said. The senior police officer said diesel containers and gas cylinders on the boats added fuel to the fire and the entire jetty area was up in flames.

Fishermen suspect some criminals set the boats on fire. There is also suspicion that the fire was triggered by a party in one of the boats. Shocking visuals from the harbour showed firefighters trying to douse the flames as fishermen stared helplessly at the fire destroying their means of livelihood. Blasts in some of the boats, apparently caused by the fire reaching fuel tanks, led to panic in the area.

Senior police officer Ananda Reddy said “The cause of the fire is yet to be confirmed. No casualties were reported. A case has been filed and investigation is underway,” he added. The fishing harbour belongs to the Vizag Port Trust. So the probe will involve port, fisheries and police authorities.