Shawdesh Desk:

A fire broke out after an explosion in a petroleum-carrying vessel at Patenga in the River Karnaphuli in Chattogram on Monday morning.

The fire started after an explosion occurred at about 11:00am in the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation vessel, Banglar Jyoti while it docked at the Dolphin Jetty of the Eastern Refinery.

Coast Guard, Navy, and the Eastern Refinery’s firefighting teams are assisting the Fire Service in extinguishing the blaze.

Md. Kafil Uddin, an officer from the Fire Service’s Agrabad control room, said that eight units from Agrabad, Bandar, Karnaphuli EPZ, and CEPZ stations were sent to the spot after a ship caught fire in the River Karnaphuli.

AKM Naeemullah, deputy general manager (inspection and safety) of Eastern Refinery Limited, said that the fire broke out in Banglar Jyoti, a ship docked at the Dolphin Jetty of the Eastern Refinery.

He said that all crew members safely evacuated the vessel, but the fire had not yet been brought under control.

Banglar Jyoti is an old tanker owned by the BSC. It typically transports crude oil from mother tankers anchored offshore to the Eastern Refinery.

Local people said that they saw thick black smoke billowing into the sky, which caused panic in the surrounding area.