Yasin (19), a cabin boy of the MV Obhijan- 10 launch which caught massive fire last night told the media that a gas cylinder in the canteen exploded next to the engine room and set the launch on fire.
Yasin said, 'The canteen is next to the engine room behind the ground floor of the launch. The cylinder exploded with a loud noise and caught fire, which quickly spread to the engine room.
He added, "The 13 barrels of diesel stored there increased the intensity of the fire. The fire went from the engine room to the deck. '
"It hit the window screen of the deck and spread to the second floor." There was a tea shop on the second floor. The fire intensified when the cylinder of the tea shop exploded.
"The whole launch was set on fire," Yassin said.
"After the fire broke out, the passengers on the deck tried to put it out. Some people jump into the river", he added.