Madaripur: One passenger was killed after a moving bus caught fire on the Dhaka-Barishal highway in Madaripur this afternoon. The incident occurred around 3:00 pm in the Malkain area of Dasar upazila.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Sakura Paribahan bus was travelling from Barishal to Dhaka when it suddenly caught fire upon reaching the area. The driver stopped the vehicle on the roadside, allowing most passengers to disembark safely. However, one passenger fell during the evacuation, sustaining serious injuries. The injured individual was taken to the Kalkini Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead. His identity has not yet been confirmed.
Eyewitness Kamrul Islam, an auto-rickshaw driver, reported that smoke was first seen emanating from the engine compartment before the fire rapidly engulfed the bus. A unit from the Kalkini Fire Service managed to control the blaze after about 30 minutes of effort, although the bus was completely gutted.
Fire Service officials suspect that a short circuit in the vehicle’s battery may have caused the fire. Officer-in-Charge Tariqul Islam from Dasar Police Station stated that around 25 passengers were onboard. While most managed to escape immediately, one passenger was fatally injured during the evacuation process.