Manikganj, Nov 14 (V7N) — A fire erupted early Thursday morning at a Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) dredger pipe in the Aricha Ghat area of Manikganj, causing extensive damage. The blaze, which quickly spread among the dredging floaters, led to significant panic among locals as smoke filled the air.

Two units of the fire service responded swiftly to the scene, battling the flames for about an hour before bringing the fire under control. Despite their efforts, over a hundred floaters were burnt, with estimated losses totaling approximately 5 crore taka. The cause of the fire remains unknown.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing flames consuming the floaters, which were lined up in front of the BIWTA dredger base office. The fire's rapid spread heightened fears in the surrounding ghat area, though no casualties have been reported. An investigation is expected to determine the fire's origin and assess further safety measures for the site.

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