A fire erupted in the engine room of the tanker Gindara while it was docked at Balayan Distillery Inc. Port in Calaca City, Batangas, Philippines, resulting in injuries to two crew members. The vessel was carrying molasses and had a total of 22 crew members aboard, with 20 confirmed safe. The injured crew members were promptly taken to hospitals for medical attention.
One crew member was admitted to Metro Lemery Medical Center for observation and treatment, while the other suffered from inhalational injuries, receiving care at Metro Calaca Hospital before leaving against medical advice. The incident prompted a swift response from local authorities, including personnel from Coast Guard Sub-Station Lemery and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Calaca City. Two tugboats were also dispatched to assist in controlling the fire.
The Coast Guard dispatched additional resources from various stations in the region, including the Coast Guard Medical Station-Southern Tagalog. An investigation into the fire’s cause is underway, led by the Maritime Safety Investigation Unit, as the situation continues to be monitored. Although there was no visible fire around the Gindara’s bridge and superstructure, smoke persisted from the vessel.
