According to Tanjung Priok police officer Adjunct Commissioner Jerry. the incident happened near a refueling station at the pier, where the three fishing boats were berthed.
Two of the three boats were cob fish catchers and one a squid catcher and the fire had started at one of them when it was reueling.
"The fire started at one of the boats, the Nusantara, and rapidly spread to the two others, the Cakrawala and the Ira , as they were berthed next to each other and there was wind blowing.
After the Nusantara finished refueling, its deck was covered in diesel oil spills and the fire apparently began after somebody had dropped a burning cigratte butt on the deck
Jerry said the burning boats were first pulled away from the pier to prevent the fire from leaping to more berthed boats. Then firefighters managed to put out the blaze on the three ill fated boats using at least 12 fire engines.
Nine of the Nusantara crew were questioned by the police about the incident which had halted all fishermen`s activities at the busy Muara Angke fishing port.
"The material damage caused by the fire is estimated at several billion rupiahs," Jerry said. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
