35 boats destroyed in fire at Visakhapatnam jetty area
Visakhapatnam (PTI): A fire broke out in a jetty area here in the early hours of Monday in which at least 35 fishing boats were gutted, officials said.
The cause of the blaze, which broke out in the wee hours and was doused by around 4 am, is yet to be ascertained, according to officials, who said the fire started in a boat in the zero jetty area and spread quickly.
The fire broke out in an area near the Visakhapatnam Container Terminal and an Indian Oil Corporation facility where fishing boats were anchored.
After receiving information about the accident, firefighters rushed to the spot, Visakhapatnam District Fire Officer S Renukayya told PTI.
"We pressed 12 fire tenders into service and sought the help of the National Disaster Response Force and the Visakhapatnam Port Trust," he said.
The official said there were no reports of any casualties so far.
According to Renukayya, the firefighters managed to control the fire from spreading to other boats in the vicinity within half an hour.
It took almost two hours to douse the fire, he added.
Visakhapatnam Deputy Commissioner of Police-Zone II K Ananda Reddy said the intervening night of Sunday and Monday was quite windy, causing the fire to spread quickly among the boats made of fibre (plastic) and anchored closely.
"Many of these boats also carry up to 5,000 litres of diesel as the fishermen venture into the sea for weeks. Many boats were also laden with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders which the fisherfolk use for cooking," Reddy added.
There were as many as eight explosions which officials suspect to be that of LPG cylinders.
Considering the critical location of the fire, Reddy said Vizag Steel Plant fire brigade and the Navy were also alerted, while controlling the fire without further spread proved to be a big task.
According to estimates, each boat is valued between Rs 35 lakh and Rs 50 lakh, he said.
Meanwhile, police booked a case of accidental fire, he added.
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Youngster murder in Hubballi: Two suspects arrested after being shot in the leg
Hubballi: A youngster was brutally murdered with sharp weapons near the Gopanakoppa junction in Hubballi on Friday night. In connection with the case, the police arrested two suspects by shooting them in the leg on Saturday morning.
The victim has been identified as 23-year-old Shivraj Kammar, a resident of Santosh Nagar Road in Gopanakoppa. The murder is believed to be linked to a financial dispute. A group allegedly attacked Shivraj with deadly weapons on Friday night before fleeing the scene.
The arrested suspects have been identified as Sudeep Rayapur and Kiran Jattappanavar. When the Ashok Nagar police took them to their hideout this morning, they reportedly attacked the officers and tried to escape. In self-defense, the police fired at the suspects, hitting them in the leg.
The injured suspects have been admitted to KIMS Hospital in Hubballi. Some police personnel were also injured during the incident. Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar visited the hospital to check on the officers. The police are continuing their efforts to arrest the remaining suspects involved in the case.
