One killed, seven injured in Jhalakathi Oil tanker explosion

A man was killed and seven others injured in an oil tanker explosion in the Sugandha river in Jhalakathi on Friday morning.

The tanker named Nandini-3 blasted at around 7:45am. A fire service team from Jhalakathi brought the fire under control.

The deceased Md Kamruzzaman, 45, was the master of the oil tanker. He is from Gopalganj.

The seven critically injured persons were rescued and admitted to Barishal Sher-E-Bangla Medical College Hospital.

Padma Oil Company sources said the ship came to Jhalakathi Padma Oil Company depot from Chattogram. It was moored on Dakkhinpar of the Sugandha river to unload diesel. A total of 13 workers were staying at the ship.

Rubel Hossain, one of the injured, said the explosion took place while turning on the generator of the engine room. Most of the workers staying on the ship sustained burn injuries. The ship’s master Kamruzzaman was pronounced dead while taken to Jhalakathi Sadar hospital.

Jhalakathi deputy commissioner Md Johor Ali, police super Fatiha Yasmin and Padma Oil Company’s high officials visited the damaged oil tanker.