Bangladesh: At least 16 dead in fire at container storage facility

At least 16 people have been killed in a fire at a container storage facility in Sitakuda (southeast). Bangladesh), with the authorities announcing 170 injured

“So far”, at least 16 people have been found dead, including “three firefighters”, while “about 170 people were injured, including 40 firefighters and 10 police officers”said Abul Kalam Azad, a police officer.

The media of the Asian country broadcast how the number of injured is around 300. Calls for voluntary blood donation for the injured are flooding social networking sites.

Elias Chondri, a chief physician in Chittagong, a nearby metropolis, warned earlier that The death toll could get heavier as many of the injured are in critical condition, with burns on 60 to 90% of their bodies.. All the medical staff, even those members who were on leave, were rushed to his place, as dozens of injured were taken to various hospitals in the big city.

The fire broke out shortly before midnight at a storage facility called BM Container Depot, about 40 kilometers from Chittagong, Asia’s largest commercial port, said Jalal Ahmed, a firefighter.

Several fire brigades had rushed to the storage area to put out the fire when a series of explosions shook the facility.

Some of the containers in the private storage facility contained chemicals, particularly hydrogen peroxide, explained Ruhul Amin Sikder, a spokesman for the Bangladesh Inland Container Association (BICA).

The director of the facility, Mujibur Rahman, said the cause of the fire was unknown. He clarified that the facility employed about 600 people.

The fire was brought under control, but “there are still some outbreaks” that firefighters are trying to put out, said Minur Rahman, a district governor in Chittagong. Many of the containers contained millions of dollars worth of clothes to be exported to Western countries, he noted.

Exports, especially clothing, from Bangladesh to western countries have increased dramatically in recent years.