A fire broke out on two LPG carriers, the Captain Nikolas and the B-LPG Sophia, which were transferring LPG in the Kutudia Channel, Bay of Bengal. Fortunately, all 36 crew members from both ships escaped to safety and no casualties were reported. The incident follows accusations that the Captain Nikolas was carrying LPG sourced from Iran, a sanctioned supplier.
The fire began around 12:45 am on October 13, 2024 during the LPG transfer. The Captain Nikolas managed to control the fire by 3:30 am but the B-LPG Sophia, with less robust safety measures, continued to burn for 12 more hours, until approximately 12:30 pm. Despite efforts from Navy ships, two Coast Guard vessels and several fire rescue teams, it took about 12 hours to bring the situation under control due to the large amount of LPG on board.
Coast Guard and Navy personnel are still monitoring to prevent re-ignition. An investigation has been launched to determine if the fire was accidental or intentional. On October 6, the LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB) claimed that 70,000 tons of LPG had been falsely reported as non-Iranian.
LOAB requested the Chattogram Port Authority and customs detain and thoroughly investigate the vessels.