Ambulance catches fire at Bagerhat hospital, driver burnt; gas leak suspected

An ambulance caught fire at Bagerhat 250-bed District Hospital today (11 August), leaving its driver seriously burnt and spreading flames to eight nearby parked motorcycles.

The fire broke out around 12:30pm in front of the gate of the hospital's old building, according to locals and fire service officials.

The ambulance had arrived at the hospital to pick up a child patient. The driver was inside the vehicle while his assistant was opening the rear door when a loud bang was heard from the ambulance's gas cylinder, witnesses said, adding that the vehicle then suddenly caught fire.

Mohammad Saiduzzaman, deputy assistant director of Bagerhat Fire Service and Civil Defence, said a team of firefighters reached the scene after being alerted and brought the fire under control by 12:55pm.

"When we arrived, the ambulance and several motorcycles beside it were on fire," he said, adding that firefighters worked swiftly to prevent the flames from spreading to the nearby two-storey building.

The injured ambulance driver, Farid Hossain, was rescued and sent to Dhaka for advanced treatment.

Firefighters and locals gather outside the Bagerhat hospital after the ambulance fire. Photo: TBS

Bagerhat Civil Surgeon ASM Mahabubul Alam said the hospital authorities were informed about the fire while a monthly meeting was under way.

The hospital authorities immediately disconnected the electricity supply after the incident, preventing major damage to the main hospital building, he added.

He further said a preliminary assessment suggested that the fire may have originated from an explosion in the ambulance's gas cylinder.

Bagerhat-2 lawmaker Shaikh Monzurul Haque Rahad said a probe committee would be formed to determine the exact cause of the fire and fix responsibility.

Measures would also be taken to strengthen controls over ambulance parking areas and fire-safety arrangements at the hospital to prevent such incidents in the future, he added.