A wooden transport boat, MV King George, Thursday, caught fire at the Swali Ultra Modern Market jetty in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.
The boat was loaded with foodstuffs and other goods on Thursday morning as it was preparing to depart for Akassa in Brass Local Government Area when the fire occurred.
It was reported that no life was lost in the fire which started when the boat was still moored at the jetty.
A trader said a cigarette caused the fire, but state chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Ipigansi Ogoniba, said it was the water pump that caught fire and it quickly spread to the rear where the main boat engine was located.
Items including bags of garri, rice, beans and other foodstuffs were lost in the process.
According to PUNCH, the state chairman, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Ipigansi Ogoniba, said firefighters from the state fire service could not put out the fire as they came about an hour late.
“You know fire service, they came an hour late.
“The fire started from the water pump which caught fire. The name of the boat is King George. It was owned by King George from Akassa.
“King George has two boats. He used the bigger one and rented the smaller one to Emmanuel. It was the smaller one that got burnt,” he said.
