BRTC passenger bus caught fire on Barishal-Khulna route

A BRTC passenger bus (Brahmanbaria-B-11-0004) plying from Barisal to Khulna suddenlycaught fire, causing extensive damage of the vehicle.

Although the panicked passengerswere able to get off the bus safely, but the bus was extensively damaged, confirmedthe fire service sources.

Traffic on the Barisal-Dhakahighway was closed for an hour due to the incident.

Abdur Rashid, Station Officer at WazirpurFire Service and Civil Defense said, "We reached the spot at 11:45 pmafter receiving the news of the fire.

After half an hour of effort, webrought the fire under control.

"Initially, it seemed that ashort circuit in the battery line caused the fire. Primary investigationrevealed a loss of four lakh taka, while goods worth three million taka wererecovered”, fire service official added.

BRTC authorities said that the busleft for Khulna from the Barishal bus depot at 10:30 am. On the way, the bussuddenly caught fire while reached at the Ichladi toll plaza under Wazirpurupazila on Barishal – Dhaka highway.

Aminur Rahman, OC of GournadiHighway Police Station, said that the BRTC bus suddenly caught fire at 11:40 amnear the Ichladi toll plaza on the arishal-Dhaka-Barishal Highway in Wazirpurupazila.

Although there was no damage tothe passengers in the fire, but the BRTC bus was extensively damaged. The fireservice brought the fire under control on receiving information.

Although the passengers were ableto get off safely, the vehicle was extensively damaged. The driver of theaffected BRTC bus, Muhammad  Shahjalalsaid that when the bus carrying 30 passengers from Barishal to Khulna reachedthe Ichladi toll plaza, the passengers suddenly started screaming after seeingsmoke.

“After seeing a ring of firestopped the bus immediately . All the passengers were able to get out safely,”driver of the bus added.