2 burn to death after trawler engine explodes in Chittagong

Two people were burnt to death and four others injured in an explosion on a fishing trawler in Chittagong's Karnaphuli River on Saturday.

Kotwali police said MV Monir caught fire after its engine burst in the morning when it was anchored near the Fisheries Ghat. The vessel capsized afterwards.

Rescuers found the charred bodies of Nuruddin Bhuiyan, 45, and Nizamuddin, 42, from inside the engine room when the trawler was salvaged and brought to the shore.

Marine fishing boat owners association leader Aminul Haque Babul Sarker said one of the bodies was found around 3pm while the other around 6pm.

He told bdnews24.com that both trapped inside the engine room had burnt to death.

Three of those injured in the accident, which took place around 11am, were identified as Md Liton, 30, 'Nuruddiin', 43, and Md Akbar, 20.

They were on board the vessel at that time and sustained burn injuries.

Another Md Alamgir, 45, was hurt as he tried to get out of the vessel in a hurry.

All of them were admitted to the Chittagong Medical College and Hospital (CMCH).

CMCH burns unit chief Mrinal Kanti Das said Liton, who suffered a 95 percent burn, had slim survival chances.

Kotwali Police Station's Habildar Shahidur Rahman said the engine caught fire after an explosion during efforts to start it.

"The trawler started sinking but did not go down fully as the water level was low there," he told bdnews24.com.