Abu Dhabi: A fishing boat was completely gutted when fire erupted while it was being refuelled in Mina port, police officials at the scene told Gulf News.
"The boat caught fire while it was being refuelled at the filling station. It spread to the filling station, and could have been much worse.
"But with timely intervention it was brought under control," an official said.
A man who was in the boat at the time escaped unhurt after he jumped into the water.
Damage control
The wind blew the boat away from the coast and firefighters had to put out the blaze in mid-ocean.
"The damage to the filling station was limited."
Preliminary details suggest the boat's motor caught fire, the official said.
No one was injured in the fire, a civil defence official said, declining to give further details as the area falls under the jurisdiction of the Critical National Infrastructure Authority (CNIA).
The fire will be investigated by the CNIA. According to eyewitnesses, the fire began around 4.30 pm.
"I was in the Corniche road when I saw the boat catching fire.
"It quickly spread into the filling station," said Bulhar Divakaran, a resident.
