March 20--ALAMEDA -- Three crew members aboard a tug boat near Mariner Square Drive were injured Wednesday morning when a fire broke out in the engine room, firefighters said.
What caused the fire aboard the "Z-Five," a 4,400-horsepower tug operated by Starlight Marine Services, remains under investigation. But Alameda fire Capt. Jim Colburn said the fire was likely sparked during a mechanical malfunction and is not considered suspicious.
The extent of the crew members' injuries was not available. They were treated at the scene and released.
Firefighters were dispatched at 10:41 a.m. to the business at 321 A Ave. after workers reported the fire aboard the tug, Colburn said.
"The damage was confined to the engine room," he said. "It did not spread anywhere else and it was contained within minutes."
An estimate of damages was not available.
Starlight Marine Services, which works under Harley Marine Services, has been on San Francisco Bay since April 2003 and provides petroleum transportation, tanker escort and other maritime work, according to the company's website.
Reach Peter Hegarty at 510-748-1654 or follow him on Twitter.com/Peter_Hegarty.
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