PHUKET: An Australian man lost his 7-million-baht catamaran when it caught fire while he was cooking on Wednesday night.
Brian Derek, 63, was rescued from the burning catamaran moored off Patong beach in Kathu district at about 9pm on Wednesday.
He told police that he lived on the boat and was cooking when the fire broke out. While he was heating cooking oil in a pan on a gas stove, large waves shook the boat and he spilt the oil on to the flames.
The burning oil then splashed onto a kitchen counter and the boat floor, which caught fire. He tried in vain to put out the blaze with a blanket before leaving the boat.
Officials later put out the fire and police were investigating the incident.
