Four burnt in fishing boat fire

Four people suffered burn injuries as a small fishing boat caught fire after its engine exploded in the Karnaphuli river at Chattogram's Patenga yesterday.

The injured -- Jamal Uddin, 55, Mahmudul Karim, 50, Mofizur Rahman alias Shah Alam, 45, and Imam Hossain, 28-- were admitted to the burn unit of Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

Doctors at the CMCH said Mahmudul and Mofizur, both of whom suffered burns on 80 percent of their bodies, are in critical condition.

Kabirul Islam, officer-in-charge of Patenga Police Station, said the fire broke out at the wooden fishing boat after its engine exploded in the river around 12:10pm.

The incident happened when the boat was anchored near the jetty used by a cruise ship in Patenga, said the OC.

As the fire broke out after the explosion, locals cut the boat's rope. Later, the burning boat floated to Patenga Ghat 15.

The four people on the boat, who were injured in the fire, jumped into the river immediately, said the police official.

Later, locals rescued them and sent them to CMCH, said Kazi Enam Elahi, sub-inspector of Patenga Police Station, who visited the spot.

A coast guard team rushed to the spot immediately and started working to extinguish the blaze, said an official of Bangladesh Coast Guard East Zone.

Later, tugboats from Bangabandhu Tunnel Authority, the navy and firefighting units from different fire stations doused the blaze, said the OC.

The fire was brought under control at 2:00pm, added the police official.