Bangladesh: 40 killed, 450 injured in fire at container depot
At least 40 people have died after a massive fire broke out at a shipping container depot in Bangladesh's Chittagong on Saturday night, officials said on Sunday. According to officials, the blaze spread at the depot in the Sitakunda area and left about 450 people injured. They said the death toll may climb as several people are still missing.
'Fire caused due to chemical reaction'
As per officials at the state-run Chattagram Medical College Hospital (CMCH), 40 dead bodies have so far arrived at the hospital mortuary. Nurul Alam, a police officer stationed at the Medical College outpost, said early investigations have revealed that the fire was caused by a chemical reaction. Local media later reported that the fire had spread due to an explosion.
What did officials say about the incident?
According to reports, the fire started around 9:00 pm while the explosion happened at midnight. They claimed that the blast smashed window panes in surrounding residences. Following the blast, the fire spread rapidly leading to casualties. "Over 450 people have been injured in this incident," said Istakul Islam, a senior health official at Red Crescent Youth, Chittagong.
19 firefighter units pressed into service
Md. Faruk Hossain Sikdar, Assistant Director of the Chittagong Fire Service and Civil Defense, said, "Around 19 firefighting units are working to douse the fire and six ambulances are also available on the spot." The container depot has been in operation since May 2011. Meanwhile, health officials stated that the casualties would likely climb further because some persons are still missing following the tragedy.
PM Hasina expresses grief, directs mobilization of facilities
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her condolences over the deaths and directed all facilities be mobilized for the rescue and relief operations. Meanwhile, Chattogram Divisional Commissioner (DC) Ashraf Uddin stated the DC office is providing $560 (Taka 50,000) each to the families of the deceased. Meanwhile, the Daily Star claimed that $224 (Taka 20,000) had been provided to the relatives of the victims.
How did the depot administration respond?
Mujibur Rahman, director of the BM Container Depot, said the cause of the incident remained unknown. However, he stated that steps were being taken to ensure that the injured received the best possible care. "We will bear the entire cost of the treatment. Those who were injured in the accident will be given the maximum compensation," Rahman told The Daily Star.
