The Story Of A Passenger On Fire At The Beautiful Port Of Kiat Merak

The Passenger Motorboat (KMP) Mutiara Berkah I caught fire at Indah Kiat Merak Port, Cilegon City, Banten, Wednesday (6/9/2023). ANTARA//Desi Purnama Sari

Muhamad Bari, one of the passengers on the Mutiara Berkah I Passenger Motorboat (KMP) caught fire at Indah Kiat Merak Port, Cilegon City, Banten, Wednesday (6/9), told about the condition on the ship at the time of the incident.

Bari said that at the time of the incident the ship's condition had just finished loading the vehicle and was ready to sail from Indah Kiat Harbor, Merak to Lampung.

"I brought a load of cement from Bogor to go to Lampung, at the time of the incident the condition of this ship had finished loading, so I just left," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, September 6.

However, Bari admitted that when he was about to fall asleep, he was suddenly shocked by other passengers who saw a puff of smoke and a growing fire.

"Just now I was going to bed, suddenly another passenger was surprised by the condition of the puffs of smoke and the growing fire," he said.

In addition, Bari said, a warning signal was also heard, so that he and other passengers also panicked and immediately fled the ship.

"Alhamdulillah, all the passengers on the ship managed to get out, but the vehicles and luggage were still on the ship," he said.

Previously, the Head of Basarnas Adil Triyanto said, for the total number of passengers and crew as many as 159 passengers and 135 cargo trucks.

"For the process of evacuating passengers because the ship's position was high until passengers got off using cranes and all passengers were rescued," he said.

Five of the passengers experienced shortness of breath and were rushed to the nearest hospital for treatment. His condition is now gradually improving.

Adil said that the fire extinguishing process was carried out from two directions, namely through the sea side and from the mainland by deploying eight fire engines.