At least 36 people have been killed and around 200 injured after a boat caught fire on the Sugandha river in Bangladesh’s Jhalkathi district.
A fire broke out on Friday on the Barguna-bound ship ‘MV Avijan’.
At least 36 people were killed and around 200 injured on Friday when a boat caught fire on the Sugandha river in Jhalkathi district, about 250 km from Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka.
Police and fire brigade personnel said that the fire broke out when the Barguna-bound ship MV Avijan reached Dapdapia area at around 3 am on Friday.
On getting information about the matter, fire brigade personnel reached the spot sitting in a trawler, while the local people gathered on the banks of the river. The fire was brought under control in two hours.
Five fire units are carrying out rescue operations, but efforts were hampered by the morning fog over the river.
Officials suspect the fire may have started in the boat’s engine room.
Barishal Fire Service’s deputy director Kamal Hussain Bhuiyan said officials suspect the fire may have started in the boat’s engine room.
Barisal Fire Service and Civil Defense Deputy Director Farid Uddin Bhuiyan confirmed that burnt bodies were recovered from the spot. The injured are currently being treated in local hospitals.
After this the boat went to Diakul area of Jhalkathi Sadar Upazila and dropped anchor on the bank of the river.
Resident Medical Officer of Jhalkathi Sadar Hospital Dr Amir Hussain said that the critically injured were given first aid and were sent to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.
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