Expressboat in Sarikei catches fire

Thick black smoke emitting from the engine room of the expressboat.

SIBU, Mar 12: Three workers on an expressboat were lucky to be alive when their expressboat caught fire in Sarikei at 8am today.

They included the skipper and two crew members. They managed to escape from the raging fire.

Sarawak Rivers Board (LSSS), Sarikei branch assistant port managing officer Hazian Sapiee, they had just filled up the boat tank and were on their way to Sarikei express boat Terminal 2 when the boat suddenly caught fire.

At the time of the fire, there were no passengers on board.

“After receiving a call from the public, we immediately alerted local Fire and Rescue Service Department (Bomba) which dispatched firemen to the scene,” he added.

Sarikei fire station chief Mahmudin Narudin said the boat was badly damaged in the engine room area.

“We are investigating the cause of the fire,” he said.

The boat was scheduled to depart for Tanjung Manis at 3pm and as it was badly damaged by the fire, the trip had been cancelled.—DayakDaily