Ro/Ro Freighter Catches Fire in Philippines

 

On Tuesday, the Philippine Coast Guard helped put out a fire aboard a ro/ro during loading operations at the port of Abra de Ilog, about 70 nautical miles south of Manila.

At about 0900 hours Tuesday, the Roro Master 2 was loading passengers and cargo for a routine transit to Batangas, Luzon. A fire broke out in a generator on deck near the fantail, inside a vehicle bay. 33 passengers were on board at the time, along with 34 crewmembers and 21 trucks.  

Courtesy PCG

The Philippine Coast Guard outpost at Abra de Ilog responded to the scene after receiving a report of an ongoing fire. In the meantime, the ship's crew began firefighting measures, applying water to the burning generator. PCG officers worked with the local Philippine Ports Authority office to find extra firefighting equipment, but the situation was under control and the fire extinguished by 0920. 

No injuries or casualties were reported. The PCG has recommended detaining the vessel for a thorough safety inspection.  

Roro Master 2 is an open deck roll-on / roll-off cargo vessel with a bow ramp and a house-aft arrangement. It does not appear in international shipping databases, as is common for coastal vessels in Southeast Asian trades.