Fire injures crewman on bunkering ship off Sulawesi, Indonesia

Indonesian media reports that a fire broke out on board an oil bunkering tanker as it was sailing off the island of Sulawesi on Monday, September 6.

The 80-metre Julvinda had just departed the Pertamina oil depot near the city of Gorontalo on Sulawesi when the blaze ignited in its starboard bow at around 18:15 local time on Monday.

The crew were able to put out the fire within minutes with the aid of the ship’s portable extinguishers. However, one crewmember, a 44-year-old male, still suffered burn injuries and had to be evacuated to hospital in Gorontalo, where he is currently under intensive care.

The captain told reporters that the fire ignited after sparks caused by an electrical short in the bow came in contact with one of the oil cargo tanks.

Police have begun an investigation into the incident.