Two fishing boat fires in 10 days destroy 18 vessels in Gia Lai, fishermen face ruin

Gia Lai province has been hit by two devastating fishing boat fires in just ten days, resulting in the destruction of 18 vessels and leaving numerous fishermen destitute. The latest incident occurred on July 9 at the Tam Quan fishing port, where a blaze erupted in the storm-shelter anchorage area.

Firefighters battled the flames, which were fully contained by late evening. The fire completely destroyed six fishing boats and partially damaged two others. These vessels ranged from 15 to 21 meters in length. The cause of this fire is currently under investigation by authorities.

This follows a similar major fire on June 29 in the Nhơn Phước area, which damaged 16 fishing boats. Twelve boats were completely destroyed, and four were partially damaged. Many of these boats were larger vessels, over 15 meters long. The fire spread rapidly due to a low tide that left several boats stranded and unable to move.

Compounding the tragedy, only one of the 16 boats damaged in the Nhơn Phước fire was insured. Fifteen boats had not taken out insurance, and five were awaiting approval for decommissioning support. Notably, several of these boats had previously been damaged by Typhoon No. 13 in November 2025, and after repairs, they were again destroyed by fire, inflicting severe financial losses.

In response to the crisis, the Chairman of the Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee has ordered urgent support for the affected households. Eligible boat owners and crew members will receive assistance for three months, including 15 kg of rice per person per month and a monthly allowance of 3 million Vietnamese dong per person. Local authorities are working to quickly identify and verify the list of recipients to ensure timely disbursement of aid.