Tanker Ship Catches Fire Off Indonesia’s Bali Island, 5 Dead & 15 Injured

A deadly fire broke out on the tanker Elisabeth near Tepekong Island, off the coast of Bali, Indonesia, on August 07, 2024. The incident killed five crew members and injured 15 others.

The fire began around 3:00 a.m. local time, following a series of explosions on board the vessel. According to Rizky Wulandari, Mualim 1 of the tanker, the first explosion happened in the lodging area at about 1:18 a.m., followed by a second, more severe explosion in the engine room. These blasts caused a massive fire, leaving the ship immovable.

The vessel, en route from Topekong Island to Badas, Sumbawa, NTB, was transporting fuel oil when the catastrophe occurred.

The ship’s captain, Muhamad Haris Al Razak, stated that the explosions caused a complete blackout on the vessel. As the situation worsened, the Cape Manggis operation was contacted for emergency assistance.

The five crew members who died were identified as Joko (oiler), Ismail (oiler), Riski (engineer 4), Syahlan (oiler), and Faturahman (engine cadet). Twelve of the 21 crew members onboard sustained minor injuries and received medical treatment at Graha Bakti Klungkung Hospital.

Three others, suffering from severe burns covering 80% of their body, were transferred to RSU Sanglah for treatment.

Fireboats and evacuation teams from Karangasem Police, Basarnas, KSOP, and Depo Pertamina responded to the emergency.

An initial police inquiry, led by Karangasem AKBP Police Chief I Nengah Sadiarta, S.I.K., S.H., M.K.P., is underway to determine the cause of the explosions and fire.

The Directorate of Water and Air Police, as well as the Forensic Laboratory, have been contacted for further investigation.

The Karangasem Police Chief has asked for enhanced safety precautions to avoid similar disasters in the future.

Reference: TOI, Karangasem Police

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