6 hurt, 2 missing as fire hits oil tanker

by Robertzon Ramirez, Ralph Edwin Villanueva (The Philippine Star), 13 Jun 2021

MANILA, Philippines — Six persons were injured and two were reported missing when an oil tanker caught fire as it was refueling at the Delpan Wharf in Tondo, Manila yesterday morning.

Several explosions were heard when M/V Titan 8 caught fire before 9 a.m., the Bureau of Fire Protection reported. The vessel was supposed to go to Palawan.

The fire reached fifth alarm and spread to nearby houses before it was put out just before 3 p.m.

In a Facebook post, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said six persons – four belong to Titan 8’s crew while two others are with the M/V Princess Christine – were hurt in the incident and two more remain missing.

According to the PCG, at least 40 houses near the Delpan Bridge were also affected by the fire after some drums of gasoline washed ashore.

The PCG also reported that its Marine Environmental Protection Command used six booms to control the oil spill as firefighters worked to put out the flames at around 1 p.m.

The Titan 8’s operator, who was not named, told the PCG he was taking a bath when he heard an explosion, prompting him and his crew to jump from the vessel.

The PCG said it has yet to determine the cause of the fire.