The death toll in a ferry fire on Friday in Bangladesh has increased. According to the latest information, at least 39 people were killed and 70 were injured.
According to information previously provided by the police, 32 people were killed in the plane crash. Most died in the fire. Some of the victims drowned in the river trying to escape the fire, said Moynul Islam, the local police chief.
The ferry departed from the capital of Dhaka to Barguna, located almost 250 km to the south. The ship caught fire at the end of the route, not far from the Jalokati mimast. For unknown reasons, a three-deck ferry caught fire in the middle of the river. At the time of the fire, there were 800 passengers on board.
The burning ship was extinguished by 15 fire brigades. Two hours later, the flame was taken under control, and after another eight hours, the burned-out steam cooled down so that the blackened hull could be moored on the river bank.
Injured and wounded
The bodies of 37 victims were caught in the river, two died on the way to the hospital; According to local police, 70 people were hospitalized due to their injuries. Some of them suffered severe burns, she added.
Not the first disaster
It was another series of similar disasters in this low-lying country in South Asia, in the delta of numerous rivers. Ferries are one of the main means of transporting people and goods there.
According to experts, the causes of disasters are lack of proper maintenance, overly liberal safety regulations and overcrowding of ferries.