13 dead, 18 injured in fire at Batam shipyard belonging to Singapore-listed ASL Marine

A fire at a Batam shipyard belonging to Singapore-listed ASL Marine resulted in 13 deaths and 18 injuries.

The incident occurred on Oct 15 at around 4.20am, said the shipbuilder in a statement on Sunday (Oct 26).

At the time, a tanker was undergoing floating repairs along one of the shipyard's jetties at the shipyard belonging to ASL Shipyard Indonesia.

All work on the tanker has been suspended, according to ASL Marine.

The shipbuilder is currently "working closely with the relevant government authorities and the owner of the tanker" to assist with investigations into the incident.

"We extended our heartfelt condolences to the families of those affected," said the company, adding that they are providing all necessary assistance to the affected victims and their families during this difficult time. 

Following the incident, ASL Marine has undertaken a comprehensive review of its safety management procedures to further strengthen preventive measures.

"The safety and well-being of personnel at our work sites remain our highest priority," the company said.

Another fire broke out on June 24 at the same shipyard prior to this incident.

In a statement released on June 25, ASL Marine said that the incident occurred on board a floating storage and offloading vessel that was undergoing repairs beside one of the shipyard's jetties.

Four workers died and five were injured during the fire.

Findings from the incident have not been issued, said ASL Marine on Sunday.

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dana.leong@asiaone.com