25 Boats turn To ash, navy called in after fire At Visakhapatnam harbour

Late last night, a devastating fire engulfed a fishing harbour in Visakhapatnam, reducing at least 25 boats to ashes. The conflagration prompted the deployment of an Indian Navy vessel to control the flames, as multiple fire engines struggled in their efforts. Each fishing boat, with an estimated value of 15 lakh, contributed to an overall loss ranging from ₹4-5 crores.

The fire originated on a fishing boat late at night, according to Vishakhapatnam Police Commissioner Ravi Shankar. Attempts to isolate the burning boat failed as it was brought back to the jetty by winds and water flow, leading to the rapid spread of flames to other vessels. Diesel containers and gas cylinders on the boats intensified the blaze, turning the entire jetty area into an inferno.

Shocking visuals from the scene depicted firefighters battling the flames, while fishermen watched helplessly as their livelihoods went up in smoke. Some boats experienced explosions, causing panic in the vicinity, possibly due to the fire reaching fuel tanks.

Senior police officer Ananda Reddy disclosed that the fire erupted around 11:30 pm, and precautions were taken to keep people away from the area due to potential cylinder blasts. Although the cause of the fire is yet to be confirmed, fishermen suspect foul play, pointing fingers at potential criminals or a party on one of the boats. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, and Commissioner Ravi Shankar assured a multidisciplinary investigation involving port, fisheries, and police authorities to determine the root cause of the incident.

CM @ysjagan , shocked by the #Visakhapatnam fishing harbor fire, orders an inquiry

He instructs Fisheries Minister Dr. S. Appala Raju to inspect the site and urges officials to provide essential financial aid to affected fishermen for their lost boats#vizagfire pic.twitter.com/kuaZSA4E6o

— Sudhakar Udumula (@sudhakarudumula) November 20, 2023