Business · Philippines Bureau
Chemical reaction, engine failure sparked deadly Coron ferry blaze
The Bureau of Fire Protection has determined that a hazardous cargo chemical reaction combined with heat from a malfunctioning engine ignited the September ferry fire off Coron, Palawan that claimed 77 lives. Criminal charges have been filed against 16 individuals in connection with the disaster.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — Investigators have pinpointed the cause of the catastrophic ferry fire that killed 77 people off Coron, Palawan last September, with the Bureau of Fire Protection attributing the blaze to a chemical reaction involving hazardous cargo that was intensified by extreme heat from a defective engine.
The BFP announced Thursday that criminal complaints have been filed against 16 individuals in relation to the incident. Fire Superintendent Anthony, the agency's spokesperson, confirmed the filing of charges as investigators concluded their technical examination of the disaster.
The determination that hazardous materials aboard the vessel reacted chemically under conditions created by the malfunctioning engine represents a significant development in understanding how the fire erupted and spread so rapidly aboard the passenger-cargo ferry.
The September tragedy remains one of the deadliest maritime disasters in recent Philippine history. The criminal complaints mark the first accountability measures taken following the completion of the BFP's investigation into the incident.