A potentially major accident was averted after members of the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party (Ansar-VDP) swiftly brought a transformer fire under control at the 132/133kV Hogladanga Power Grid in Batiaghata upazila of Khulna on Wednesday morning.
The fire reportedly broke out at around 7:10 am following a short circuit that triggered an explosion in one of the grid's transformers. The blaze spread rapidly, engulfing the surrounding area in thick smoke and posing a serious threat to the country's critical power infrastructure.
According to officials, Ansar member Mintu Hossain, who was on security duty at the facility, immediately noticed the incident and alerted Guard Commander (PC) Md. Babul Akter.
Responding without delay, Babul Akter led the on-duty Ansar personnel to the scene with fire extinguishers and launched an emergency firefighting operation. Despite the hazardous conditions, the team worked in a coordinated manner and succeeded in bringing the blaze under control after nearly 40 minutes of continuous efforts.
The effective use of fire extinguishers and the prompt response by the Ansar personnel prevented the fire from spreading to nearby installations and other vital components of the power grid. No casualties were reported, and the incident caused no major damage to the surrounding electrical infrastructure.
Officials who inspected the site after the incident praised the Ansar members for their courage, professionalism and quick response, saying their timely intervention helped prevent what could have been a far more serious disaster.
The incident highlighted the preparedness and emergency response capabilities of Bangladesh Ansar and VDP personnel in protecting critical national infrastructure. Authorities said such timely actions play an important role in safeguarding lives and property while ensuring the uninterrupted security of essential public facilities.
