Two employees of an oil tanker were killed as a fire broke out when it was anchored at Mongla Port in Khulna early yesterday.
Greaser Mosleh Uddin Miah, 40, and sailor Badal Miah, 38, were critically injured in the incident that took place in MV Jakah, anchored in Pashur Channel.
They were first admitted to Khulna Medical College Hospital and later shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where they died in the morning.
Altaf Hossain, member (operations) of Mongla Port told reporters that they had received news of the fire in the early hours. Fire fighting vessel of the port authorities MV Agni Prohari and another of Bangladesh Navy doused the fire after five hours.
The fire could not be devastating as the tanker was empty, he said.
Vessel Contractor of the tanker Hekmot Carrier’s Manager Joynal Abedin told reporters that the empty tanker had come to Summit Refinery of Mongla from Daulatpur of Khulna on Friday afternoon to take oil which was supposed to begin soon.
The fire was originated from an electric short-circuit of battery in the engine room. The engine room was gutted entirely, officials said.