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Coconut husk burning leads to fire at van, house garage
DFEMS launches fireboat for Rota humanitarian mission
The burning of coconut husks for mosquito repellant triggered a fire that spread to a parked van and to a house’s garage in As Perdido last Friday morning.
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- The van that was burned when fire caused by the burning of coconut husks for mosquito repellant spread to a house’s garage in As Perdido on Friday morning. (Derek Gersonde)
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- Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services personnel prepare yesterday to launch the fireboat at Smiling Cove on Saipan for a humanitarian mission to Rota. (Derek Gersonde)
No one was reported injured in the fire, according to Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services spokesman Derek Gersonde yesterday.
DFEMS received a call about a fire on Friday at 8am, prompting firefighters to immediately respond.
Gersonde said the forestry unit was the first to arrive at the scene, followed by three other units.
Gersonde said firefighters controlled the blaze at 8:28am.
Arson investigation unit investigation showed that the fire was caused by the burning of coconut husks for mosquito repellant.
Gersonde said the husks were placed on a combustible material, which exceeded the height and width of the flame.
He said the fire spread to combustible materials and then to a van that was parked under a wooden tin structure.
Gersonde said the van was burned as well as part of the house’s garage.
“Updates will be released when they are available,” he said.
Meanwhile, at the request of the Rota Mayor Efraim Atalig, DFEMS launched its fire boat out of Smiling Cove on Saipan yesterday at 11am for a humanitarian mission to Rota.
Five DFEMS personnel are on the boat to deliver an air-conditioning compressor for the Rota Health Center, 43 cases of butane gas for the Rota relief effort, which were donated by Coral Ocean Point Saipan.
Gersonde said the butane gas cases were supposed to be flown by air cargo, but due to being hazardous materials, they had to be transported by sea.
The boat also transported law enforcement equipment such as breathalyzer test kits and operational supplies for Rota Department of Public Safety.
The boat is scheduled to return to Saipan on Monday morning.
