Bangladesh’s deadliest launch fire started from engine room. How it all began is a mystery

The fire on board Abhijan-10 in Jhalakathi has been the deadliest such incident yet in Bangladesh’s history, but the authorities are grappling with unanswered questions as to what ignited it and how it spread so fast through all three floors.

The vessel caught fire around 3am on Friday, hours after it left Dhaka for Barguna. The Fire Service and Civil Defence battled the blaze for three hours into the morning after the captain docked it on the bank of the Sugandha river.

Passengers jumped off the launch for survival. Those caught inside, mostly children and the elderly, were burnt alive. The rescuers pulled out at least 37 bodies as frantic searches continued throughout the day.

The death toll is likely to rise with at least 72 burnt victims admitted to hospitals. Some of them are in critical condition, doctors said.

After the firefighters doused the blaze, charred belongings of passengers and materials to decorate the vessel lay on the decks and cabins. Things made of metal bent in the impact of the heat.

“The engine room was burning even at 6am. The launch could not be touched due to the heat. We sprayed water and slowly moved inside. It appeared that someone poured petrol and set fire to the launch,” said Md Belal Hossain, an assistant deputy director of the fire service.

He added that he had seen many small fire incidents on launches, but never anything like the one on Abhijan-10.

A midnight fire swept through the Barguna-bound MV Abhijan-10 launch on the Sugandha river in the southern district of Jhalakathi on Friday, Dec 24, 2021.

Zobair Ibn Awal, associate professor at BUET's naval architecture and marine engineering department, said there was no instance of such devastating fire on a passenger launch in Bangladesh's history, albeit several smaller ones.

State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud, who rushed to the scene in the morning, described the incident as “mysterious”. 

“Such swift spread of the fire looked unusual to me. We’ve never seen fire spreading so rapidly. It’s confusing. Many people say time was wasted. Let’s see what the investigations find.”

The ministry has formed a seven-strong committee to investigate the fire. Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority also launched a separate investigation.

ORIGIN

Many survivors, crew members and first responders pointed to the engine room as the place of the fire’s origin.

Shafiqul Islam, fire service station officer in Jhalakathi, said the engine room was burnt the most, so they believe the fire had originated there.

Abdur Rahim, who survived the incident, said he was on deck when he suddenly heard a loud noise. Smoke started billowing from the back of the launch and within moments, the entire vessel was up in flames, he said.

Fire Service personnel recover the bodies of victims after a fire swept through the Barguna-bound MV Abhijan-10 launch on the Sugandha river in the southern district of Jhalakathi on Friday, Dec 24, 2021.

Hamjalal Sheikh, the owner of the launch, said a crew member called and notified him about the fire at 3:05am. An explosion was heard on the second floor, where there is a pipe extending from the engine, he added.

Some of the survivors said problems occurred in the engines immediately after the launch left Dhaka and the technicians tried to fix the problem several times. Passenger Md Abdullah said the crew members fled after the fire had started.

The owner denied any problem in the engines. He said two reconditioned Daihatsu engines were installed in the launch recently, claiming that 6,000 litres of oil caused the engine room to burn the most.

A cabin boy blamed the explosion of a gas cylinder in a restaurant on board the launch, according to a report, but Md Kamal Hossain, divisional chief of the fire service in Barishal, ruled it out, saying that he saw the cylinders unharmed.

A view of MV Abhijan-10 docked on the bank of the Sugandha river at Diyakul in Jhalakathi on Friday, Dec 24, 2021 after the launch caught fire in the wee hours. Photo: Hasibul Islam Hasan

Brig Gen Sajjad Hossain, director general of the fire service, said investigations would find out whether the explosion occurred before or after the fire had originated.

“Initially we suspect the fire originated in the engine room.”

ENGINE

The general manager of a passenger launch company said most of the times the operators use re-usable engines and change parts when necessary.

BUET’s Associate Professor Zobair also said engine overhaul is a routine work, but problems may occur if it is not done properly.

And watchers are required because oil dips from the engines all the time, he said.  “The watcher’s duty is very important, because devastation can occur from trifle

carelessness, such as throwing a cigarette butt.”

Owner Hamjalal claimed an engine driver and two other crew members always work in the engine room.

The bodies of passengers recovered from the launch MV Abhijan-10 lie on the bank of the Sugandha river on Friday, Dec 24, waiting to be identified. Photo: Hasibul Islam Hasan

FLAMMABLES

Zobair said he saw dark spots inside the launch in photos, which means there were many flammable things in the vessel.

“The lunches are decorated with flammable materials, cardboards. Passengers were also carrying flammable materials, such as blankets and winter clothes.”

“The intensity of the fire indicates there was something flammable that helped the fire spread quickly.”

Badiuzzaman Badal, a leader of the Launch Owners Association, said Abhijan-2 was painted anew two months ago. New decorative materials were also added.

“The use of wood and gum in the decoration might have intensified the fire.”