No casualties were reported as the 544 passengers and the crew of the M/V Wonderful Stars had disembarked when the blaze around 4:30 p.m. started in the cargo compartment at the bottom of the ship, the Coast Guard said.
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A two-story ferry with 544 passengers caught fire after docking in the central Philippines on Saturday and people jumped into the sea and clambered down the roof deck to escape black smoke.
The passengers were safely evacuated before flames engulfed the ship.
Meanwhile, passengers at the Ormoc City port scheduled to leave for Cebu at 11 a.m. will have to wait until tonight to make the trip.
According to Senior Fire Officer 2 Roel Wenceslao, two firemen had difficulty entering the ship because of the thick smoke.
Capt. William Isaga, Philippine Coast Guard District-Eastern Visayas commander, said the three crewmen of MV Wonderful Stars were immediately rushed to the hospital for minor injuries.
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Last month, a ferry was lashed by strong waves and capsized moments after departing from Ormoc port, leaving more than 60 people dead.
