A massive fire broke out at a CNG filling station beside the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Nabiganj, Habiganj, on Thursday morning (21 August) while a bus was being refueled. During the incident, a bus and ten CNG-run auto-rickshaws at the station were completely destroyed, and six people were critically injured and taken to Sylhet Osmani Medical College Hospital.
The fire occurred around 6:00 am in the Awshkandi area of the upazila. Initial estimates suggest the damage could be around Tk 20 crore. Fire service personnel from Nabiganj rushed to the scene and brought the fire under control.
Eyewitnesses said the explosion occurred while the bus was being refueled at the Awshkandi CNG pump. The fire quickly spread throughout the station, destroying 10 auto-rickshaws and a bus. Several employees on the station’s third floor jumped to safety, sustaining serious injuries.
Shoaib Ahmad, assistant manager of the Awshkandi CNG station, said the bus arrived at 5:00 am and caught fire around 6:00 am during refueling. While drivers managed to escape, two staff members—Russel, 25, and manager Zainal Abedin, 40—were seriously injured, along with four other CNG drivers whose names have not yet been confirmed.
“We were sleeping on the third floor when the explosion woke us up. We jumped to safety on the adjacent land,” Ahmad said. “The fire caused damage estimated at around Tk 20 crore.”
Habiganj Fire Service in-charge Habibur Rahman said a team was immediately dispatched to the scene. After about half an hour of effort, the fire was brought under control. Ten CNG-run auto-rickshaws and one bus were completely destroyed, and the station suffered extensive damage. The six injured were rescued and sent to Sylhet. According to the owners, preliminary estimates put the total loss at around Tk 20 crore, with the entire station reduced to ashes.