Fire on ferry mid-river: Goods, trucks damaged

At least eight goods-laden trucks were damaged in a fire that broke out at a ferry in the middle of the Meghna River that left Lakshmipur for Bhola early Thursday.

No casualty was reported so far, confirmed Alam Sikder, a staff at the ferry named “Kalmilata.”

It is believed that the fire originated from mosquito coils or cigarettes, he added.

Md Parvez, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation’s manager for Bhola, said that the ferry “Kalmilata” left Maju Chowdhury jetty in Lakshmipur at around 2am and the fire broke out at the ferry at around 4am.

He said that the ferry was in the mid-river when the fire broke out.

On information, Fire Service personnel and river police teams rushed to the spot and put out the fire after two hours.

At least eight goods-laden tucks were damaged in the fire, he said.

The BIWTC official said that the fishermen who had been fishing with their fishing trawlers rescued the passengers and took them to the bank of the river safely.