DHAKA: At least 37 people died when an overcrowded night ferry caught fire in Bangladesh on Friday, police said.
The latest maritime tragedy to hit the impoverished low-lying nation happened in the early hours in a river near Jhalokathi, 250 kilometres (160 miles) south of Dhaka.
“We have recovered 37 bodies. The death toll may rise. Most died from the fire and a few by drowning after many people jumped into the river,” local police chief Moinul Islam told media.
The blaze was believed to have originated in the engine room and ripped through the ferry, Islam said. Despite having an official capacity of 310 the vessel was carrying at least 500 people, many of who were returning home from the capital.
“We have sent some 100 people with burn injuries to hospitals in Barisal,” he said.
Read more: At least 30 dead in Bangladesh ferry accident
Witnesses said the fire originated at around 3:00 am (2100 GMT) and quickly spread.
“We were sleeping on a mat on the ground floor deck. All the passengers were sleeping. My nine-year-old grandson, Nayeem, was with me, he jumped into the river. I don’t know what happened to him,” said an elderly grandmother.
Other survivors said they saw a small fire in the engine room as soon as the packed ferry set off from the Sadarghat river station in Dhaka at 9:00 pm on Thursday.
