ANKARA, December 21. /TASS/. At least one person was killed and 13 injured in a fire that broke out aboard a Maltese-flagged bulk carrier off Turkey’s Sinop province late on Tuesday, the NTV television reported citing local authorities.

According to the report, the victim was the ship’s captain.

Three of those injured are in critical condition.

Overall, there were 17 people aboard the ship.

"We were informed that the captain was dead. The crew was taken to the port of Sinop by boats," Sinop Governor Erol Karaomeroglu was quoted as saying.

The incident occurred in one of the ship’s cabins at around 20:30 local time (same as Moscow time). The crew alerted local authorities, and rescue boats and firefighters were immediately sent to the distressed vessel. The majority of victims suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning, the A Haber television said. The cause of the fire is being established.