Cargo vessel catches fire: 1 dead, 3 injured

CEBU, Philippines —  Three men were injured while another was reported dead when a cargo vessel caught fire while anchored off Talisay City in Cebu afternoon on Easter Sunday.

Those injured were identified as Ricky Ferrancullo, Selmo Socrates, and Gerwin Bataanon.

The Disaster Risk and Reduction office of Talisay City identified the body retrieved as that of Nelson Polvorosa.

Felix Anko of the Bantay Dagat team said the four crew members worked at the engine room where the fire was believed to have started.

Ferrancullo, Socrates, and Bataanon managed to escape from the engine room but the fourth reportedly did not make it out alive.

"Mangutana pa mi unsay tinuod pero naa kuno to silay gitrabaho… basta ang sunog, naa sa engine room gikan ang sunog," Anko said.

Anko was among the first who responded to the scene.

He and other members of the Bantay Dagat team were monitoring the shoreline in Talisay City in anticipation of people taking a dip at sea on Easter Sunday. While doing this, they saw a thick smoke billowing from the vessel, prompting them to respond.

The 14,028 gross tonnage vessel of Magsaysay Shipping and Logistics was anchored at that time while cargoes were being brought on board. It had 23 people on board and was scheduled to dock at the port in Cebu City when the incident happened.

Anko said they reached the vessel just as crew members were scramming out of the engine room.

Coast Guard Cebu spokesperson Krysta Bergatin said they received the report about the rescue at around 9:50 a.m.

Bergatin said the ship captain declared the vessel abandoned around 10 a.m. after his remaining 16 crew members were rescued.

The other vessels that lent firefighting assistance included BRP MALAMAWI, MTug Elijah Merick, MTug Supreme Star, and MTug Pacific Rose 2.

Bergatin the fire was put under control at 12:30 p.m.

The ship captain is set to file a Marine Protest.

A Marine Protest, as defined under the Philippine Coast Guard Memorandum Circular 06-90, is a declaration on oath by the master of the circumstances attending the damage or loss of his vessel. – Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, JMO (FREEMAN)