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Thick smoke from a bus set on fire beneath the Farmgate metro rail station in Dhaka triggered panic among passengers on Monday evening, forcing people to rush towards the exits.
The incident occurred at around 6:30pm on November 9 when miscreants allegedly set fire to a bus parked beneath the metro rail station.
Smoke from the burning vehicle quickly spread into the station, triggering its automatic fire alarm.
As the alarm went off, passengers inside the station became frightened and rushed outside to ensure their safety. The authorities temporarily suspended operations at the station as a precaution.
According to sources at Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), the bus was set on fire beside the station’s diesel generator.
Smoke from the fire subsequently entered the station, prompting authorities to evacuate passengers.
A DMTCL source said the generator contained around 1,000 litres of diesel. Had the fire spread to the generator, it could have caused a major accident.
Authorities therefore moved quickly to clear the station and ensure passenger safety.
Fire Service and Civil Defence personnel rushed to the scene after receiving reports of the blaze. Two firefighting units were deployed to bring the fire under control.
Fire Service officials said no casualties had been reported in the incident.
Tejgaon Division Deputy Commissioner of Police Ibne Mizan said neither the bus driver nor any passengers could be found at the scene after the incident.
Police are examining CCTV footage to identify those responsible for setting the bus on fire.
The metro station remained closed for around half an hour before services resumed after the situation returned to normal.
Reports put the reopening time at between 7:02pm and 7:20pm.