PARADIP: A fire broke out in a fishing boat parked at Paradip fishing harbour on Saturday. No casualties were reported due to the incident.
The fire broke out in the fishing boat Laxmidevi after it completed unloading operations. Firefighters and marine police rushed to the spot and launched an operation to control the blaze, preventing it from spreading to nearby fishing boats berthed at the harbour.
Kujang fire officer Biswajit Rout said the boat was completely damaged in the fire. “No casualty has been reported so far. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Nearly three fire service teams were pressed into service and the blaze was brought under control within two to three hours,” he said.
Preliminary suspicion is that the blaze may have been triggered by a gas cylinder explosion inside the boat, though the exact cause is yet to be ascertained. No injuries or fatalities were reported as fishermen managed to escape from the boat in time.
The incident has triggered fresh concern among fishermen, as several fire mishaps have occurred at Paradip fishing harbour in the past, leaving several boats gutted. Fishermen have repeatedly raised concerns over safety measures, the storage of inflammable materials and the need for adequate fire-prevention arrangements at the harbour.