Three workers narrowly escaped death after a disused tanker, believed to be a drifting “ghost ship” discovered last year, exploded and caught fire while undergoing metal cutting works at Jeti Glorious Innovation in Kampung Bukit Kuang on Saturday afternoon.
Kemaman district police chief Supt Mohd Razi Rosli said the incident was reported by members of the public at about 3.18pm.
He said the three workers, aged between 39 and 46, including two foreign nationals, were carrying out cutting works on the tanker using an oxygen gas cutter at the time of the incident.
“Suddenly, a small explosion occurred on the vessel, which then caught fire. All three workers managed to escape from the ship before the flames spread,” he said when contacted.
Fire and Rescue Department personnel arrived at the scene at 3.23pm and managed to bring the blaze under control approximately one hour later.
Mohd Razi said the fire affected the middle section of the 53.7-metre-long and 10-metre-wide tanker, with an estimated 45 per cent damage.
He added that no injuries were reported in the incident.
“The cause of the explosion and fire is still under investigation by fire forensic teams,” he said.
The tanker had previously been reported in August last year after it was discovered drifting near the Semangkok A offshore oil platform in Terengganu waters, and was believed to be linked to earlier maritime fire incidents in the region.
