Two persons were killed and another went missing in an oil tanker explosion at Chattogram seaport on Monday.
Deck Cadet Shourav was identified as one of the deceased, while the identities of the remaining deceased and missing persons couldn’t be known.
Sources said the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation's oil tanker “Banglar Jyoti” berthed at the Dolphin Jetty near Ghat no. 7 of the Karnaphuli river at 11:00am.
The state-owned vessel transported approximately 11,700 tonnes of crude oil from a mother vessel at the outer anchorage for Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL).
Sources said a massive explosion occurred at the tanker, causing panic among neighbouring ships at the port.
On receiving information, eight units of fire service, and several other forces including the Navy, and Coast Guard rushed to the spot, effectively bringing the blaze under control around 12:30pm.
Fire Service Deputy Assistant Director Muhamamd Abdullah said they recovered two bodies and handed them over to the authorities concerned.
One of the charred bodies was hanging from the railing of the jetty, while parts of the other were found near the jetty.
Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) Secretary Omar Faruk said that the vessels in the river were taken away to safer positions after the incident.
It didn’t hamper the vessel movement through the port channel at that time, he said.
BSC Managing Director (MD) Commodore Mahmudul Malek said the vessel started discharging crude oil before the accident.
Among the casualties, there were a deck cadet and two workshop crews, he said.
The front side of the vessel was blown off, but the cargo hole was not damaged, said the commodore, adding that it would have been disastrous had the fire reached the hole.
Necessary measures were taken to avert any accident at the tanker further, he added.
On the other hand, Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) formed a seven-member committee to investigate the incident.
The committee headed by ERL Managing Director Md Sharif Hasnat was asked to submit a report by one day.
According to sources, the oil tanker owned by Bangladesh Shipping Corporation is approximately 38 years old.
BDST: 2115 HRS, SEPT 30, 2024
MSK
