Three individuals, including a deck cadet, were killed in an explosion on board the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC)-owned oil tanker "Banglar Jyoti" while preparations were underway to discharge oil at the Dolphin Oil Jetty near the Eastern Refinery in Chittagong.
BSC Managing Director Commodore Mahmudul Malek confirmed the incident at a press conference held on Monday.
In response, separate investigation committees have been formed by Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) and BSC to probe the incident.
The victims have been identified as Deck Cadet Saurabh Kumar Saha, and two workers, Nurul Islam and Harun. One body was recovered intact, while fragments of the other two were found at the scene.
The explosion reportedly occurred around 11am on Monday in the Patenga area of Chittagong.
Firefighters, along with the Coast Guard, Port Authority, and Bangladesh Navy, managed to bring the fire under control within 90 minutes.
However, it took until 3pm to fully extinguish the blaze. Eight units of the fire service were deployed.
The explosion and fire severely damaged the front section of the vessel, blowing away a portion of it.
The tanker was carrying approximately 11,000 tons of crude oil, intended for transfer from offshore vessels to the jetty for Eastern Refinery.
Meanwhile, the BPC has formed a seven-member committee to investigate the cause of the explosion, led by Eastern Refinery Limited Managing Director Md Sharif Hasnat, with Deputy General Manager (Planning & Shipping) Md Mostafizar Rahman as member secretary.
The committee is expected to submit its report by next Monday or Tuesday. BSC has also established a four-member investigation committee, which will submit its findings soon.
Commodore Mahmudul Malek said that "Banglar Jyoti" was built in Denmark in 1987. There was an explosion first, followed by a fire.
He said firefighting efforts were carried out by the Bangladesh Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Tunnel Authority, Chittagong Port, and Fire Service and Civil Defence. The vessel, with a capacity of 15,000 tons, was carrying 11,700 tons of crude oil at the time of the incident.
Regarding the cause of the accident, Malek suggested the possibility of gas leakage from paint stores or an electrical short circuit.
The investigation team will speak to all parties involved, conduct a thorough inspection, and determine the true cause of the explosion.
BSC will provide support to the families of the deceased, including assistance with burial, cremation, and compensation, Commodore Mahmudul Malek added.