Forest officials suspect deliberate fire aboard seized coal vessel in Sundarbans

Detailed summary

The vessel had remained anchored near the Sharankhola Range Office since its seizure in a suspected smuggling case ...

A cargo vessel carrying 230 tonnes of coal seized in an alleged smuggling case caught fire in the Sundarbans today.

Forest guards noticed smoke rising from the coal-laden vessel anchored in the Bhola River beside the Sharankhola Range Office this morning and immediately informed the Fire Service. Firefighters rushed to the scene and worked for several hours before bringing the fire under control.

According to forest officials, the vessel and its cargo were seized on October 18 while allegedly transporting 230 tonnes of coal through the Bhola River inside the Sundarbans without valid documents.

Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Dipan Chandra Das of the Sharankhola Range said, "The coal had been brought from a foreign vessel anchored at Harbaria in Mongla Port. Forest guards intercepted the cargo vessel while it was allegedly being smuggled through the Bhola River. We seized the vessel along with nine people as they could not produce any documents for the coal."

The nine suspects were later handed over to Sharankhola Police Station after a case was filed against them, while the seized vessel and the coal remained anchored near the Sharankhola Range Office, he added.

Dipan said forest guards spotted smoke coming from the coal on Wednesday morning and immediately alerted the Fire Service. Firefighters installed a pump on the bank of the Bhola River and sprayed water on the burning coal to extinguish the blaze.

"We suspect that someone deliberately set fire to the coal that had been seized during the smuggling attempt," he said.

Sharankhola Fire Service Station Officer Md Aftab-e-Alam said the fire was brought under control at around 3:00pm. He said the Fire Service had advised the forest department to unload the coal from the vessel as soon as possible to prevent another accident.

The cause of the fire and whether it was deliberately set have yet to be independently established.

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