Mercraft 2 fire started from flammable material above engine room — PCG

The fire incident in Mercraft 2 started from a “highly combustible material” above the engine room of the passenger vessel, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu said Wednesday.

At a press conference, Abu said the PCG already submitted their investigation on the fatal fire incident in Quezon province on May 23.

“Yung initial findings namin sa investigation, meron highly combustible material na nasa itaas ng engine room, nasa deck yun actually, doon nagsimula ang fire,” he said.

(Based on our initial findings in the investigation, there was a highly combustible material above the engine room, actually on the deck, where the fire started.)

Abu refused to disclose further details on their findings, pointing out that the Department of Transportation is in charge of sharing the report on the investigation.

MV Mercraft 2 carried 157 people when it caught fire just before reaching the port of Real. Of that number, 121 were uninjured, 29 were injured, and seven died.

PCG spokesperson Commodore Armand Balilo said the captain of the vessel is currently in their custody as the Department of Transportation wanted to investigate all angles to determine the cause of the fire.

Mercraft Shipping Corp., which owns the passenger ferry, has already apologized to the victims of the blaze. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News