16 killed in Sitakunda chemical depot fire, many missing

// Daily World Desk //

The death toll from a devastating fire at a BM container depot in Chittagong’s Sitakunda’s Sonaichhari union has risen to 18. Among the dead were 3 fire service personnel.

More than 150 people were burnt and injured in the accident on Saturday night. The injured included workers, police and fire service personnel. Most of them have been taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital. Many were taken to private hospitals.

According to the concerned, there are more than 50 thousand containers in that depot. The fire is thought to have started from a chemical container. After the fire started, the containers started exploding one after another. The blast shook an area three to four kilometers from the scene. The windows of nearby houses were shattered.

Holidays of all doctors in Chittagong have been canceled for emergency treatment of fire victims. Private hospitals have been instructed to treat the injured in the Sitakunda fire.

At the time of writing this report, the fire service unit of Chittagong was trying to put out the fire. Different units of fire service have also joined from Feni, Noakhali, Comilla. So far, 24 units of the fire service are said to be working.

Chittagong Medical College Hospital sources said that one after another seriously injured people were brought to Chittagong Medical College Hospital. Due to the high number of injured, they were sent to different wards according to their injuries without being listed in the emergency department.

Sitakunda Fire Service Officer in Charge. Rubel Rana said the fire was reported to the fire service at 9:25 p.m. After that, eight units started working to put out the fire. Later different units of fire service also joined from Feni, Noakhali, Comilla.

Zakir Hossain, general secretary of the C&F Agent Employees Association, said the fire started from a chemical container. Later, fire broke out in one container after another. Hundreds of workers were working there at the time of the accident. Most of the injured have been taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

SI Nasir Uddin of Sitakunda Model Police Station said that export goods were stored at the container depot. Upon receiving the news of the fire, the police of Model Police Station went to the spot. At that moment, there was a sudden explosion. Several policemen were injured at the time.

He said people were being stopped at the entrance of the depot to avoid the accident and locals were being miked in the area mosque to move to a safe distance.

Nazmul Hasan, fireman of Kumira Fire Service, said that Kumira Fire Service first got the news of fire at the container depot around 10 pm. The bomber struck shortly after noon in front of a team rushing to the scene.