A 2 day public hearing will be held on 8-9 October to uncover the actual cause of the recent fire that broke out in a condensate (crude oil) pipeline operated by Chevron Bangladesh in Sreemangal, Moulvibazar.
The hearing will focus on the incident that occurred on 23 September, when oil leaked from a punctured section of the pipeline, triggering a fire.
According to a notice signed by Md Tanvir Hossain, Manager of Petrobangla and Member Secretary of the inquiry committee on 5 October, testimonies from local residents, affected families, and other stakeholders will be collected at 11am on both days in the premises of the Bhunabir Union Parishad.
The investigation aims to determine the exact cause and origin of the fire based on local accounts. The notice also urged interested citizens to attend the hearing in person or share their information via phone at +8801717045266.
On the night of 23 September, around 9pm, an attempt was reportedly made to steal oil by puncturing the pipeline in West Ilampara area under Sreemangal upazila.
The leaked oil spread into the Jaitachhara canal, where it suddenly caught fire, engulfing nearly 1 kilometre of the surrounding area within moments. Several residents were burned while fleeing their homes amid the panic caused by the strong smell of oil.
3 members of the same family from Bhunabir village- Bashir Mia (50), his wife Farzana Akhter Parvin (40), and their son Redowan (22)- died from burn injuries sustained in the blaze.
Petrobangla officials said the inquiry committee will review all aspects of the incident and submit a final report. The report will assess the pipeline’s condition, the reasons behind the oil leak, existing safety lapses, and recommend preventive measures to avert such accidents in the future.
