Overview
- A fire that began at the Manta fishing pier rapidly spread across the dock and affected about 35 vessels, officials said, producing large plumes of smoke and reports of explosions.
- Emergency crews contained the blaze and restricted access to the pier while two people with burn injuries were evacuated to hospitals for treatment.
- The incident began around midday when authorities received the first report of a burning boat, and firefighters and the Secretaría de Gestión de Riesgos carried out containment operations.
- Police have opened an investigation into the cause and are examining competing leads, including witness footage and claims that welding work may have started the fire as well as local concerns that criminal actors could have played a role.
- The Port of Manta is a major Pacific node used in drug-trafficking routes and fishermen who say they face extortion want stronger security, a context that could shape the probe and the port’s recovery needs.