Wooden boat engulfed in flames at Zamboanga City wharf
A wooden-hulled vessel, M/L Alsamer, was destroyed by fire in Zamboanga City on May 8, 2026. The blaze broke out while the boat was docked at Taha Wharf in Baliwasan village. All five crew members escaped unharmed. The fire began around 5:41 p.m. as the vessel prepared for a trip to Bongao, Tawi-Tawi. Owned by Akmad Hamja, the boat was moored when flames engulfed its wooden structure. Emergency teams quickly mobilised to tackle the incident.
The Coast Guard Station Zamboanga and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Zamboanga City Fire District responded to the scene. Firefighters worked for hours to contain the blaze, bringing it under control by 11:41 p.m. The fire was fully extinguished by 1:31 a.m. on May 9.
Meanwhile, the Coast Guard Marine Environmental Protection Unit remained on standby. Their role was to prevent potential oil spills or marine contamination from the damaged vessel. The incident left M/L Alsamer completely destroyed, though no injuries were reported. Authorities confirmed that all five crew members were safe. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
