Seven killed after fire engulfs Philippine ferry

MANILA－A ferry with 124 passengers and 10 crew members on board caught fire on Monday while traveling to a town in Quezon Province on the main Luzon island, leaving at least seven dead, said a spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard, or PCG.

The blaze broke out on Mercraft 2 at about 6:30 am, as it carried 134 passengers and crew from Polillo Island to a port of Real town in Quezon.

Seven people died and 127 were rescued, said PCG spokesman Commodore Armando Balilo after the last missing person was found.

The fiberglass fast craft boat, which had a capacity of 186 people, was about a kilometer from Real when it caught fire. "We heard an explosion," said Kycel Pineda, 18, who was traveling on another ferry.

"When we saw the boat, it was already engulfed by fire and passengers were already floating in the sea."

Thick black smoke billowed from Mercraft 2 as flames tore through the entire vessel, as shown in photos shared by the coast guard.

People with life rings and life vests were in the water. Some were rescued by other ferries or clambered into inflatable boats.

The fire appeared to have started in the engine room, Balilo said. A team of investigators was preparing to look into the cause.

"We were able to rescue 40 survivors," said captain Brunette Azagra, whose passenger vessel was 500 meters from Mercraft 2 when the fire broke out. Two bodies were also pulled from the water, he told a local radio station, describing sea conditions as "quite good".

"They were lucky because we also came from Polillo. They overtook us, but we were just nearby."

Dozens injured

Twenty-four people were injured, including the captain of the ferry, according to the PCG.

Speaking from the hospital where the injured were being treated, Real town disaster officer Ricky Poblete said the seven dead had drowned.

Photos and videos of the incident provided by the PCG showed a blaze engulfing the boat and people scampering to leave the burning ferry onto a raft. Another photo showed people clinging to floating objects and ropes. A video also showed a PCG member reviving a man.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, which reportedly came from the boat's engine room. The fire on Mercraft 2 was under control and the burned-out wreckage was towed to shore.