Fire on 250-Ton Tugboat Near Machangdaegyo Bridge... All Crew Rescued

Emergency Firefighting Deployment During Event Inviting National Meritorious Persons

Changwon Coast Guard is boarding the tugboat on fire to extinguish the fire inside. Photo by Changwon Coast Guard

At 2:06 p.m. on the 18th, a fire broke out on a 250-ton tugboat towing a 5,000-ton barge in the sea southeast of Machang Bridge, Gwisandong, Seongsan-gu, Changwon, Gyeongnam.

Upon receiving the report, the Changwon Coast Guard rescued all nine people, including seven on the tugboat and two on the barge, and completely extinguished the fire by 3:09 p.m.

Among them, a man in his 30s of Myanmar nationality suffered burns on his back and was transported to the hospital.

According to the Changwon Coast Guard, at the time, Chief Kim Youngcheol and others from the Changwon Coast Guard were holding an event to express gratitude to national merit recipients, inviting them in honor of Patriots and Veterans Month, and encouraging hidden uniformed workers on ships after boarding the Criminal Mobile Team and the Pollution Control Vessel together.

While touring the waters under the jurisdiction of the Changwon Coast Guard on the Criminal Mobile Team and the Pollution Control Vessel, they received a fire report through 119 and urgently turned the vessel toward the scene.

Patrol ships, coastal rescue boats from the Masan and Jinhae police stations, and the Changwon Rescue Team were dispatched to the scene, and arrangements were made for private marine rescue vessels, as well as support and cooperation from Navy vessels and fire boats.

The invited national merit recipients were moved to the Changwon Coast Guard station by bus with the help of the Jinhae Naval Base.

Upon arrival at the scene, the Changwon Coast Guard, under Chief Kim's command, completed the rescue and emergency firefighting operations.

The Changwon Coast Guard believes the fire started in the engine room of the vessel and is investigating the exact cause and circumstances of the fire with those involved.