Apriadi Gunawan, Jakarta – One person has died and six others have been severely injured in a fire that destroyed four boats in the old port of Teluk Dalam, South Nias regency in North Sumatra on Monday evening.
The fire broke out at around 9:30 p.m. on Monday, according to a witness, local resident Defi Fau. Defi said the fire started from a blast in one of the boats that was docking at the port.
"The fire from one vessel started to get bigger and spread to others docked next to it," he told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
South Nias Police chief Ad. Sr. Comr. I Gede Nakti Whidiarta said the fire claimed one life and caused severe burns in six other people. All victims were crew of the vessels and had been evacuated from the location after the fire fighters managed to put out the fire.
"The six victims have been admitted to Victory Teluk Dalam clinic. They are in a critical condition," he said, adding that the deceased had been taken by his family to be laid to rest.
The fire started from KM Karya Asih, which had just filled its tank with fuel in the afternoon. All the boats were ready to sail out to the open sea to fish at night.
Police were still investigating the cause of the fire, Nakti said. He said preliminary investigation suggested the fire could have been triggered by a cigarette butt discarded by one of the crewmen of KM Karya Asih.