No mechanical faults in ‘Obhijan 10’ launch, claims owner
The launch had at least 21 fire extinguishers, none of which could be used as the fire spread too rapidly, the owner claims
Dhaka Tribune
UNB
Publish : 24 Dec 2021, 07:04 PMUpdate : 24 Dec 2021, 07:04 PM
The deadly fire that broke out on MV Obhijan 10 en route to Barguna from Dhaka on Friday morning in Jhalakathi did not originate from the engine room, claimed the launch owner denying any mechanical faults.
The launch caught fire in the middle of the Sugandha River off the coast of Jhalakathi's Sadar upazila, leaving at least 40 dead and many missing.
Contacted on Friday noon, Hum Jalal Sheikh, the owner of the gutted vessel, told UNB that Anwar, one of the supervisors of the launch, informed him about the fire around 3am.
Quoting Supervisor Anwar, Hum Jalal said there was an explosion on the second floor, followed by a fire that spread in the cabins on the third floor and the ground floor in the rear of the launch. However, it was not known yet how the fire started.
Jalal said that the launch had at least 21 fire extinguishers, but the fire spread so fast that there was no time to use them.
Claiming that there was no mechanical fault in the launch, he said that if the engine caught fire, the fire would never spread to the whole ship. The fire spread from the second floor to the engine and the cabin following an explosion.
Meanwhile, the Shipping Ministry and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority have formed two separate committees to probe the fire. The ministry panel has been asked to submit its report within three days.
At least 40 people were charred to death and 70 others injured in the blaze that ripped through the launch carrying over 500 passengers .
The blaze broke out on board the three-storey launch in the middle of the Sugandha River off the coast of Jhalakathi.
"We were alerted around 3:30am," Fazlul Haque of Fire Service and Civil Defence in Barisal. However, due to dense fog in the area, the first firefighting vessels took some time to reach the ill-fated launch.
“Some 37 bodies have been recovered and 72 people rescued from the ill-fated launch," Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Jhalakathi Moinul Haque told UNB.
Of the 37 bodies, four were identified and the remaining 33 bodies were sent to Jhalakathi Sadar Hospital Morgue, said the ASP.
Of the 72 injured, some 66 with serious burns have been admitted to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital (SBMCH) in Barisal. The others are being treated at Jhalakathi Sadar Hospital.
"Of the 66 with up to 50% burns, 18 are women," said Dr Moniruzzaman, assistant director at SBMCH. "Three women and four men with life-threatening burns have been referred to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital as we've no dedicated burn unit."
However, UNB Barisal correspondent reported that two of the injured succumbed to burn injuries on the way to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.
Eventually, some 15 fire tenders took nearly two hours to bring the blaze under control, at 5:20am. The fire was completely doused around 11:30am.
No mechanical faults in ‘Obhijan 10’ launch, claims owner
The deadly fire that broke out on MV Obhijan 10 en route to Barguna from Dhaka on Friday morning in Jhalakathi did not originate from the engine room, claimed the launch owner denying any mechanical faults.
The launch caught fire in the middle of the Sugandha River off the coast of Jhalakathi's Sadar upazila, leaving at least 40 dead and many missing.
Contacted on Friday noon, Hum Jalal Sheikh, the owner of the gutted vessel, told UNB that Anwar, one of the supervisors of the launch, informed him about the fire around 3am.
Quoting Supervisor Anwar, Hum Jalal said there was an explosion on the second floor, followed by a fire that spread in the cabins on the third floor and the ground floor in the rear of the launch. However, it was not known yet how the fire started.
Jalal said that the launch had at least 21 fire extinguishers, but the fire spread so fast that there was no time to use them.
Claiming that there was no mechanical fault in the launch, he said that if the engine caught fire, the fire would never spread to the whole ship. The fire spread from the second floor to the engine and the cabin following an explosion.
Also Read- Families of Jhalakathi launch fire victims to get 1.5L in financial assistance
Meanwhile, the Shipping Ministry and Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority have formed two separate committees to probe the fire. The ministry panel has been asked to submit its report within three days.
At least 40 people were charred to death and 70 others injured in the blaze that ripped through the launch carrying over 500 passengers .
The blaze broke out on board the three-storey launch in the middle of the Sugandha River off the coast of Jhalakathi.
"We were alerted around 3:30am," Fazlul Haque of Fire Service and Civil Defence in Barisal. However, due to dense fog in the area, the first firefighting vessels took some time to reach the ill-fated launch.
“Some 37 bodies have been recovered and 72 people rescued from the ill-fated launch," Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Jhalakathi Moinul Haque told UNB.
Of the 37 bodies, four were identified and the remaining 33 bodies were sent to Jhalakathi Sadar Hospital Morgue, said the ASP.
Also Read- PM orders prompt treatment of Jhalakathi launch victims
Of the 72 injured, some 66 with serious burns have been admitted to Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital (SBMCH) in Barisal. The others are being treated at Jhalakathi Sadar Hospital.
"Of the 66 with up to 50% burns, 18 are women," said Dr Moniruzzaman, assistant director at SBMCH. "Three women and four men with life-threatening burns have been referred to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital as we've no dedicated burn unit."
However, UNB Barisal correspondent reported that two of the injured succumbed to burn injuries on the way to Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.
Eventually, some 15 fire tenders took nearly two hours to bring the blaze under control, at 5:20am. The fire was completely doused around 11:30am.