One killed, two injured by blast on Philippine cargo ship

Philippine shipping company St Francis Xavier Star Shipping Line (SFXSSL) has confirmed that one person was killed while two others suffered less severe injuries after an explosion and a subsequent fire occurred on one of its vessels in the Philippines' capital city of Manila on Monday, August 26.

The incident on the 1,500DWT Everwin Star II occurred at around 10:30 local time on Monday as cargo loading operations were ongoing. The ship was berthed at Vitas Port in Manila's Tondo district when the explosion ignited in a forward compartment where paints were being stored.

Local firefighters were able to board the ship hours later to evacuate a crewmember who was found unconscious. This individual was subsequently pronounced deceased.

Two other crewmembers suffered third-degree burns and have since been brought to hospital. The vessel's owner said it is in contact with the sailors' families and is offering the necessary assistance.

Local officials suspect the blast may have been caused by a defective LPG tank in one of the onboard spaces.