Sleeper Coach Destroyed by Fire After Highway Collision

A sleeper coach operated by Royal Cox Transport was completely gutted by fire after colliding with a vehicle on the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway in Cumilla’s Daudkandi area early on Monday.

The incident occurred at around 4.30am near the Reliable CNG Filling Station in Elliotganj. No passengers or others were reported injured in the incident, although the coach was destroyed almost entirely by the intense blaze.

According to police and eyewitnesses, the sleeper coach was travelling from Cox’s Bazar towards Dhaka when it reached the Elliotganj section of the highway. At that point, the coach struck a vehicle travelling ahead of it. The collision damaged the front portion of the bus.

Shortly after the crash, a fire reportedly broke out in the area of the coach’s gas cylinder. The flames spread rapidly, engulfing the vehicle within a short period. The situation could have become more serious because the incident occurred on a major national highway and involved a passenger vehicle carrying people during the early hours of the morning.

As soon as the fire started, passengers rushed out of the coach and moved to a safe distance. Eyewitnesses said they were able to leave the vehicle before the flames spread throughout the bus. The coach was subsequently consumed by the fire, leaving its structure severely damaged.

Billal Hossain Molla, a resident of the nearby Tamta village, said local people rushed towards the highway after seeing the fire. He said all the passengers managed to get out safely, but the intensity of the blaze was alarming and the entire coach was eventually burnt.

Another eyewitness, Saddam Hossain, said he immediately went towards the highway after noticing the flames. Although passengers had already escaped, the fire quickly grew and spread across the coach.

Sub-Inspector Md Faruk Islam of Elliotganj Highway Police Station said the fire followed the collision with the vehicle travelling in front of the coach. Police reached the scene and helped ensure that passengers were moved to a safe location.

He said there were no significant casualties in the incident. The driver and other staff members of the coach reportedly left the scene after the accident, while the damaged vehicle was taken into police custody.

Police said traffic on the Dhaka–Chattogram Highway was later restored to normal. The circumstances surrounding the collision and the exact cause of the fire are expected to be examined as part of the authorities’ assessment of the incident.