The Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee held a meeting on the morning of 30/6 to assess damages and plan support for affected fishermen. Police continue to investigate the official cause.
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Fire engulfed many boats on Thi Nai lagoon. Photo: Minh Phung |
According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, at noon on 29/6, a fishing boat belonging to a Cat Tien commune fisherman, anchored in the Nhon Phuoc area, Quy Nhon Dong ward, unexpectedly caught fire. At the time of the blaze, the tide was low, stranding many boats and preventing their movement, which allowed the fire to quickly spread to adjacent docked vessels.
The fire damaged 16 boats: 12 were completely destroyed, and four were partially burned. One person sustained burns while fighting the fire.
Of these vessels, only one had hull insurance; the remaining 15 were uninsured. Additionally, five boats had submitted decommissioning applications but had not yet received approval for support policies.
All burned boats were wooden-hulled vessels with engines of 700 CV or more, built between 1991 and 2005. Four of these boats had previously sunk, and 12 were damaged by a storm in 2025; after repairs, they resumed operation only to be caught in this fire.
Authorities also identified the fire location as an unregulated, spontaneous anchorage on Thi Nai lagoon, lacking official management. The newest boat involved was also over 20 years old.
The Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee agreed to provide emergency support for three months to households with burned boats. Each individual will receive 15 kg of rice and 3 million VND monthly. Local authorities will promptly review boat owners and crew members to facilitate early disbursement.
The Department of Agriculture and Environment is tasked with researching support options for boat owners and advising on job transition policies for fishermen. Provincial leaders also instructed the Department of Finance to allocate funds, insurance companies to expedite assessment and compensation for insured vessels, and the Provincial Police to continue investigating the fire's cause.
Tran Hoa
