1 killed, 8 Injured as oil tanker overturns setting fire to four vehicles on Dhaka-Aricha Highway

One man was burned to death and eight others sustained fire injuries this morning when an oil tanker overturned and caught fire on the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar. 

Among the injured, two individuals are undergoing treatment with 100% burn injuries at the Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute.

The fire from the oil tanker spread to four more vehicles on the highway including a covered van, a cement-carrying truck, a tomato-carrying truck, and a private car, Fire Service and Civil Defense Department's (Zone-4) Deputy Assistant Director Md Alauddin told The Business Standard.

The deceased has been identified as Najrul Islam, 45, presumed to be a helper of the truck that overturned.

According to the fire service official, the oil truck was en route from Dhaka to Nabinagar via the highway when it collided with the road divider near the Jorpul area at around 5:38am.

"The spilled oil ignited immediately and engulfed the nearby vehicles as well," he added.

"We immediately dispatched six units to the scene. When we arrived we found one dead and eight others injured," said Md Alauddin.

The injured victims were promptly rescued and transported to the Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute in the capital for treatment. 

Among the identified injured individuals are Abdus Salam, 35, Milon Molla, 20, Al-Amin, 30, Niranjan, 45, Helal, 21, and Mim, 10. 

Helal and Sakib suffered 100% burn injuries.

Meanwhile, due to this accident on the highway, traffic movement on both sides of the highway came to a halt.

After extinguishing the fire, efforts have been made by the Fire Service and police personnel to clear the vehicles from the highway to normalise traffic movement.

Sub-Inspector Babul Aktar, acting in-charge of the Savar Highway Police Station, informed TBS that the highway remained closed for nearly an hour due to the accident. 

"We are actively working to normalise traffic flow," he said.

As of the time of this report, at 10am, traffic conditions on the highway had begun to show signs of improvement.