Three people were burned to death as fire broke out following an explosion in a petroleum-carrying tanker, Banglar Jyoti, at Patenga on River Karnaphuli in Chattogram on Thursday morning.
The victims were identified as Nurul Islam, chargeman at BSC Marine Workshop; Md Harun from Kishoreganj, a daily wage worker at BSC; and Saurabh Kumar Saha from Jhenaidah, an ex-cadet at Barishal Marine Academy.
Banglar Jyoti is an old tanker owned by Bangladesh Shipping Corporation. It typically transports crude oil from mother tankers anchored offshore to the Eastern Refinery.
The fire started after an explosion occurred around 11:00am in the vessel while it docked at the Dolphin Jetty of the Eastern Refinery.
Md Kafil Uddin, an officer from the fire service鈥檚 Agrabad control room, said that eight units from Agrabad, Bandar, Karnaphuli EPZ, and CEPZ stations were sent to the spot and recovered two charred bodies.
Coast Guard, Navy, and the Eastern Refinery鈥檚 firefighting teams also joined with the fire service members.