Home
+
Published : 04 Jun 2025, 01:01 PM
A truck carrying gas cylinders has overturned on the Cumilla-Sylhet Highway in the Birashar area of the Brahmanbaria suburbs. The accident sparked a fire that led to the cylinders exploding one by one.
The accident occurred in front of the head offices of the Bangladesh Gas Field around 4:30am on Wednesday. After the incident, both sides of the highway were closed, leading to heavy traffic congestion. Police managed to bring the situation under control an hour and a half later, allowing traffic to return to normal.
No casualties have been reported so far.
Brahmanbaria Fire Service Deputy Director Netwon Das said, “A cylinder-laden truck hit a ditch and overturned, sparking a fire. Two Fire Service units later brought the fire under control.”
A witness named Mubin said, “Work has been ongoing on the Ashuganj-Akhaura Four-Lane Highway for several years. This has created massive potholes in some parts of the Cumilla-Sylhet highway. Especially in the Birashar area, vehicles overturn every few days.
“A truck heading towards Cumilla in the early morning was carrying gas cylinders. The truck suddenly hit a pothole on the under-construction four-lane road in Birashar, overturned, and the gas cylinders on it exploded immediately.”
He said, “The cylinders began exploding one after another with a tremendously loud sound. The window panes of several buildings were shattered. Panic sparked throughout the area. When the incident was reported, two units of the Fire Service from Brahmanbaria and Sarail arrived and brought the fire under control after nearly two hours of effort around 6:30am.
“During that time, vehicles were stuck on both sides of the Cumilla-Sylhet Highway, causing a massive traffic jam. Police from the Sadar Model Police Station came to the scene and brought the situation under control. After that, traffic started moving from 5:30am.”
Another witness named Mukti Mia said, “I never knew that the sound of a gas cylinder explosion could be so terrifying. My children and I were horrified during the incident."
