Man killed as St Martin’s-bound vessel catches fire in Cox’s Bazar

A man was killed after a fire broke out on a St Martin’s Island–bound vessel anchored in Cox’s Bazar on Saturday morning.

The blaze started around 6:30am on the Atlantic Cruise while it was docked on the Bakkhali River near the Nunia Chhara BIWTA jetty, according to Syed Muhammad Morshed Hossain, Deputy Assistant Director of Cox’s Bazar Fire Service.

The victim, Nur Kamal, 25, a resident of Teknaf and a staff member on the vessel, was reportedly asleep when the fire broke out.

Three firefighting units were dispatched to control the flames after the incident was reported at around 7:00am, Morshed said.

“The fire appears to have been caused by an electrical short circuit, according to initial information from the vessel’s authorities,” he added.

Tanzila Tasnim, Cox’s Bazar Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), confirmed that the vessel was anchored and preparing to depart for St Martin’s Island when the fire erupted. “There were no tourists on board at the time,” she said.

Hossain Islam Bahadur, General Secretary of the Sea Cruise Operators Owners’ Association of Bangladesh (SCOAB), said about 180 passengers were scheduled to travel on the vessel. Since the fire broke out before boarding began, all passengers were safely transferred to other vessels, he added.