Bali port fire destroys dozens of boats
BENOA: A massive fire laid waste to dozens of boats at a Bali port yesterday as firefighters battled to bring the dramatic blaze under control.
The fire started after midnight on the Indonesian holiday island and quickly engulfed nearly 40 local vessels, but no injuries were reported, police said.
“So far there are no casualties,” Bali police spokesman Hengky Widjaja said.
Images from Benoa port, which sits next to the popular tourist hub of Kuta, showed flames shooting into the night sky and huge plumes of black smoke.
Firefighters were trying to put out the blaze at mid-morning.
Crew member Supriyanto said he had been asleep on his vessel when he awoke to see the upper part of the boat on fire.
The blaze quickly spread to nearby vessels, including small cargo ships, he added.
Several witnesses said they suspected the fire was started by an electrical malfunction, but authorities said they were investigating the cause.
Accidental blazes are common in Indonesia where fire safety regulations are often ignored.