Police Help Handle Tanker Fire Incident in Ampenan Waters

MATARAM, NusaBali.com - Police officers helped handle the Kristin Surabaya tanker fire incident in the waters of Ampenan, Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), on Sunday, March, 26, 2023.

Mataram City Police Chief Senior Commissioner Mustofa said here on Sunday, some water and air police personnel with boats were dispatched to help handle the incident.

"In this case, the NTB Water and Air Police deployed three units of Baladewa 8002 ships owned by the National Police Headquarters and two units of type C ships," Mustofa said.

In addition, the NTB Police deployed a medical team to assist the crew members and captain of the tanker.

"All crew members and the captain who survived have been taken to Pertamina's Ampenan Depot. The police medical team conducted health checks on them. They only suffered minor injuries," he said.

There were 14 surviving crew members including the captain who survived the tanker fire incident.

Meanwhile, there were three crew who could not be evacuated, Mustofa said.

He explained the evacuation of the surviving crew was helped by fishermen. Some crew saved themselves by using lifeboats.

"The whereabouts of the three crew members are still unknown," he added.

The tanker, belonging to a private freight service company, caught on fire on Sunday at 2:45 p.m. local time.

The tanker was carrying 5,900 kiloliters of Pertalite fuel, to unload 2,700 kiloliters of the fuel at Pertamina's Ampenan Depot.

While the tanker was waiting on the Ampenan waters, an explosion occurred. At that time, three crew members were heading to the front of the ship to lower the anchor.

According to witnesses at the Ampenan coast, an explosion was heard from the ship, followed by a blaze with thick smoke.

The explosion burned the front part of the tanker.

Meanwhile, state-owned commercial and trading sub-holding PT Pertamina Patra Niaga Regional in Jatimbalinus coordinated with related parties to carry out an integrated fire extinguishing effort for the tanker.

"We coordinate with state-run port operator Pelindo, the harbormaster's office, and other parties to extinguish the ship fire," a corporate official said. *ant