Dubai: A wooden cargo boat has sunk after catching fire in Dubai Creek on Monday afternoon. There are no immediate reports of injuries or causalities; witnesses say the crew appears to be safe.
The incident has occurred parallel to Baniyas Street on the Deira side, at the dhow wharfage close to Al Maktoum Bridge.
A Dubai Civil Defense spokesperson said a fire broke out on a wooden boat at dock No. 6.
The operations room received a call about the fire at 1.13pm. It is not yet clear what caused the fire.
Three teams of firefighters have managed to bring the fire under control, which had spread to other cargo waiting at the dock. G.A., a Pakistani who works in the wharfage, said a relative of one of the crew members told him the vessel was an Iranian cargo boat that was due to leave for Iran with electronics, blankets, shoes and other trade items.
“The relative told me that they were taking a nap when the engine blew up and caught fire. The fire engulfed the ship, which drifted across to docking area No. 6, where some cargo on the ground caught fire as well,” G.A. said.
Several crew members of other vessels and wharfage workers had lined up on the edge facing docks to watch the incident unfold. The crowds have all but dispersed by now and traffic on Baniyas Street is routine.
The same docking area has witnessed fires on boats previously.
Last July, a fire tore through three vessels, destroying merchandise. No major injuries were reported in that incident.
In May this year, there was a fire on a boat at the port barge in Deira.
BREAKING: A Fire Has Broken Out In Dubai Creek https://t.co/xZvn3dvFo5 pic.twitter.com/fgsl8TpW3m— Lovin Dubai (@lovindubai) October 10, 2016
Prompt action by @DCDDubai Fire is completely put down within half an hour. #dubaifire #dubai pic.twitter.com/qXZpy8vgXD— Tariq Rajput (@tariq_rajput) October 10, 2016
