Fire
No mechanical faults in ‘Avijan-10’ launch, claims owner
The deadly fire on Avijan-10 running from Dhaka to Barguna on Friday was caused by an explosion, the owner said denying mechabical faults.
The launch caught fire after in the middle of the Sugandha River off the coast of Jhalokati district's Sadar upazila, leaving dozens dead and many missing.
Contacted on Friday noon, Hum Jalal Sheikh, the owner of the gutted vessel, told UNB that Anwar, one of the supervisors of the launch, informed him about the fire around 3am.
Read: Govt forms panel to probe launch fire, report in 3 days
Quoting Supervisor Anwar, Hum Jalal said there was an explosion on the second floor, followed by a fire that spread in the cabins of the third floor and the ground floor in the rear of the launch. However, it was not known yet how the fire started.
In response to a question about mechanical faults, Jalal said that the launch had at least 21 fire extinguishers, but the fire spread so fast that there was no time to use them.
Claiming that there was no mechanical fault in the launch, he said that if the engine caught fire, the fire would never spread to the whole ship. The fire spread from the second floor to the engine and the cabin following an explosion.
Jalal owns MV Avijan-10, 3 and 5 launches.
"I don't have any insurance for launch," he said.
Meanwhile, the Shipping Ministry and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority have formed two separate committees to probe the fire. The ministry panel has been asked to submit its report within three days.
At least 39 people were charred to death and 72 others injured in the blaze that ripped through the launch carrying some 800 passengers .
The blaze broke out on board the three-storey launch in the middle of the Sugandha River off the coast of Jhalokathi.
"We were alerted around 3.30am," Fazlul Haque of Fire Service and Civil Defence in Barishal, told UNB. However, due to dense fog in the area, the first firefighting vessels took some time to reach the ill-fated launch.
“Some 37 bodies have been recovered and 72 people rescued from the ill-fated launch," Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Jhalokathi Moinul Haque told UNB.
Of the 37 bodies, four were identified and the remaining 33 bodies were sent to Jhalokathi Sadar Hospital Morgue, said the ASP.
Read: 39 killed as fire rips through launch off Jhalokati coast
Of the 72 injured, some 66 with serious burns have been admitted to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital (SBMCH) in Barisal. The others are being treated at Jhalokathi Sadar Hospital.
"Of the 66 with up to 50% burns, 18 are women," said Dr Moniruzzaman, assistant director at SBMCH. "Three women and four men with life-threatening burns have been referred to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital as we've no dedicated burn unit."
However, UNB Barishal correspondent reported that two of the injured succumbed to burn injuries on the way to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.
"Jhalokathi’s local firefighters initially tried to douse the flames and later the Barishal fire service joined them," said Kamal Uddin, Deputy Director (Barishal division) of Fire Service and Civil Defence.
Eventually, some 15 fire tenders took nearly two hours to bring the blaze under control, at 5.20am. "The fire was completely doused around 11.30am," said Kamal.
Govt forms panel to probe launch fire, report in 3 days
The Bangladesh government Friday set up a seven-member committee to probe the early morning launch fire that left at least 39 people dead.
Joint secretary of the shipping ministry Tofayel Ahmed has been made the probe panel's convener, while deputy secretary Aminur Rahman will act as its member secretary, according to a notification issued by the ministry.
The committee has been asked to submit a report to the shipping ministry within three working days, it said.
Earlier in the day, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority also formed a separate six-member committee to investigate the launch fire. Md Saiful Islam, additional director of port and transportation department, will head the committee.
Also read: 37 dead as launch catches fire off Jhalokati coast
The government notification comes hours after the devastating fire on Avijan-10 carrying some 800 passengers from Dhaka to Barguna claimed the lives of the 39 people and left 72 others injured.
The blaze, in fact, began on Avijan-10 in the middle of the Sugandha river off the coast of Jhalokati district's Sadar upazila around 3am. Within five to 10 minutes, the flames engulfed the entire vessel.
"We were alerted around 3.30 am," Fazlul Haque of Fire Service and Civil Defence in Barishal, told UNB. However, due to dense fog in the area, the first firefighting vessels took some time to reach the ill-fated launch.
“Some 39 bodies have been recovered from the launch," said Kamruzzaman,assistant director of Jhalokathi Fire Service and Civil Defence to UNB.
Of the 72 rescued alive, 66 seriously injured passengers were admitted to the Barishal the Sher-e-Bangla Medical College (SBMC) hospital.. The ill-fated vessel has also been brought to the shore.
"In fact, Jhalokathi’s local firefighters initially tried to douse the flames and later the Barishal fire service joined them," said Kamal Uddin, Deputy Director (Barishal division) of Fire Service and Civil Defence.
Also read: Fire at Rangpur Medical College & Hospital under control; 5 hurt
Eventually some 15 fire tenders took nearly two hours to bring the blaze under control, at 5.20am, according to fire officials.
As it was Thursday, Kamal said, the launch was carrying more than 800 passengers. "Most of them jumped off the vessel and swam to the shore as the fire broke out."
39 killed as fire rips through launch off Jhalokati coast
At least 39 people were charred to death and 72 others injured in a massive fire that ripped through a launch carrying some 800 passengers from Dhaka to Barguna in the early hours of Friday.
The blaze, in fact, began on Avijan-10 in the midstream of the Sugandha River off the coast of Jhalokati district's Sadar upazila, 250kms south of Dhaka, around 3am. Within five to 10 minutes, the flames engulfed the vessel.
"We were alerted around 3.30am," Fazlul Haque of Fire Service and Civil Defence in Barishal, told UNB. However, the first firefighting vessels took some time to reach the ill-fated launch due to dense fog in the area.
Also read: 3 dead, 44 injured in India refinery fire
“Thirty-seven bodies have been recovered and 72 people rescued from the ill-fated launch," Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Jhalokathi Moinul Haque told UNB.
Of the 37 bodies, four were identified and the remaining 33 bodies were sent to Jhalokathi Sadar Hospital Morgue, said the ASP.
Of the 72 injured, 66 have been admitted to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital (SBMCH) in Barishal with serious burns. The others are being treated at Jhalokathi Sadar Hospital.
"Of the 66, with up to 50% burns, 18 are women," said Dr Moniruzzaman, assistant director at the SBMCH. "Three women and four men with life-threatening burns have been referred to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital as we've no dedicated burn unit."
UNB Barishal Correspondent reports that two of the injured succumbed to burn injuries on the way to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.
Fire at Rangpur Medical College & Hospital under control; 5 hurt
The fire that broke out at Rangpur Medical College and Hospital on Monday morning has been brought under control.
Md Salehuddin, a deputy director at the Rangpur Fire Service, said the fire broke out at the corridor of Ward No 7 on the third floor of the hospital around 10 am.
Read:Furniture factory in Naogaon catches fire
On information, six units of firefighters rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control after one hour of efforts. Five firefighters suffered burn injuries while trying to extinguish the blaze.
All the 38 patients of the ward were moved to a safer place when the fire had broken out, Salehuddin said.
The fire gutted furniture, hospital beds and medical equipment of the ward, he said, adding that the origin of the fire could not be known yet.
Furniture factory in Naogaon catches fire
A furniture factory and its showroom in the Kathaltoli area of Naogaon caught fire on Friday noon.
According to the local fire service office, the fire at ‘Samrat Furniture’ occurred around 1:30pm.
Five firefighting units brought the blaze under control at about 3pm after an hour of efforts, said Md Shafiqul Islam, senior in-charge of Naogaon Fire Service.
READ: Probe body formed over Bogura factory fire
The officer suspected that electric short-circuits might cause the fire. No casualty was reported.
Asked about the extent of damage caused by the fire, he said it is yet to be assessed.
READ: Fire spreads panic in CCU patients at Barishal hospital; 1 dies of heart attack
However, the factory owner claimed that goods worth Tk 1 crore were gutted.
Fire spreads panic in CCU patients at Barishal hospital; 1 dies of heart attack
A fire broke out in the CCU ward of the cardiology department of Barishal’s Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital on Tuesday night.
The hospital authorities said that the fire started due to an electrical short circuit and no casualties were reported.
However, one woman died of a heart attack during the incident.
Director of the hospital Dr HM Saiful Islam said, after 9:30 pm, I was on a regular visit at the hospital when the CCU suddenly caught fire due to a short circuit.
“I myself removed patients from the ward,” he said.
READ: Five burned to death in Bogura factory fire
The fire was brought under control immediately due to the efforts of the trained staff of the hospital, he said
As panic spread among the patients of that ward fire service was informed and the electricity supply was shut, authorities said.
Sixty-year-old Ramni Das, a resident of Sarikal in Gournadi, who was seriously ill, died during the rush to escape the fire, they said.
READ: Fire breaks out at Segunbagicha highrise
Selina Akhter, the hospital's service supervisor, said patients were being taken back to the CCU.
Five burned to death in Bogura factory fire
Five workers were killed as a fire broke out in a plastic factory at Santahar in Adamdighi upazila of Bogura district on Tuesday.
The identities of the deceased could not yet be known.
Read:Fire breaks out at Segunbagicha highrise
Abdul Malek, assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defence, Bogura, said the fire broke out at BIRS Plastic Industry Limited, owned by Santahar municipality mayor Tofazzal Hossain Bhutto, around 11:30 am and it spread around soon.
On information, 13 firefighting units rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze around 2 pm.
3 of a family injured in gas pipeline explosion
Three members of a family sustained burns in a fire triggered by a cooking gas pipeline explosion in their flat in old Dhaka in the early hours of Tuesday.
The injured have been identified as Kamal, 35, his wife Selina, 30, and their seven-year-old child Bonya. The three injured are being treated at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
Also read: Jatrabari explosion: 1 succumbs to burns
The explosion occurred around 1.35am at their ground-floor apartment in a five-storey residential building in the Najirabazar area of old Dhaka.
"The explosion led to the collapse of a wall on the floor and damaged walls in adjoining flats. Five units of fire tenders took nearly two and a half hours to douse the flames, said Rafi Al Faruque Duty Officer (media), Fire Service and Civil Defense Headquarters.
Also read: 6 suffer burns in Jatrabari gas cylinder explosion
Fortunately, other residents of the building are safe, said the fire service official.
Fire at city’s RK Tower doused; 3 burnt
At least three people suffered burn injuries in a fire that broke out at RK Tower, a commercial high-rise building in the city’s Banglamotor, on Saturday.
The injured are Mamun Khan, 31, office assistant, Tafsir Mia, 26, and Manik Fakir, 20, workers of a toy importing company named Rabeya Enterprise in the building.
The fire broke out on the 7th floor of the 10-storey building around 12.15pm and spread soon.
The fire came under control around 2 pm and it was completely doused at 4:20 pm by eight firefighting units, said Rozina Akter,Duty officer of the Dhaka Fire Service and Civil Defense control room.
Also read: Fire breaks out at RK Tower in Dhaka
The injured are currently being treated at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery under Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Injured Mamun suffered 34 per cent burns, Tafsir seven per cent and Manik three percent burns, said SM Ayub Hossain, resident surgeon of the institute.
Injured Manik said we were organising the toys when the fire broke out in the room. He suspected that it originated from an electric short circuit.
Also read: Fire breaks out at slum in Chattogram
Meanwhile, Rozina Akter,Duty officer of Fire service, said the exact cause of the fire will be known after investigation.
Fire breaks out at RK Tower in Dhaka
A major fire broke out at a highrise commercial building in the Bangla Motor area of Dhaka on Saturday, officials said.
Fortunately, no casualties have been reported.
READ: Fire breaks out at slum in Chattogram
Duty officer of the Dhaka Fire Service and Civil Defense control room, Rozina Akter, said the fire broke out at the fifth floor of the 10-storey RK Tower around 12.15pm and spread soon.
On information, four fire tenders were rushed to the spot. "We are trying our best to contain the fire," she said. "Only a probe can ascertain the exact cause of the fire."
READ: Fire breaks out at Rajbari Jute Mills