Nearly 40 boats were reduced into ashes after a massive fire tore through the boat jetty in Visakhapatnam in the early hours of Monday. No casualities have been reported so far.
The incident happened around 1 am in a town jetty area where fishing boats were anchored. It took fire fighters over three hours to douse the flame, reported PTI.
"We pressed 12 fire tenders into service and took help from the National Disaster Response Force and the Visakhapatnam Port Trust," Visakhapatnam District Fire Officer S Renukayya said.
Though the cause of the fire has not been ascertained, officials said the blaze began in one boat and quickly spread to the others. "The fire broke out on a boat at Vishakhapatnam fishing harbour and then spread to nearly 35 fiber-mechanized boats at midnight. The police and fire teams responded immediately. The fire was successfully brought under control. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. No casualties or injuries were reported in the incident. An FIR has been filed and an investigation is underway," deputy commissioner of police, Visakhapatnam, Anand Reddy told ANI.
Meanwhile, local fishermen said they believe unknown individuals may have intentionally set the boats on fire.
