Fire at Container Depot in Bangladesh: A blast at a private chemical container depot in southeastern Bangladesh has killed at least 40 people and injured more than 450 others.
A fire broke out at a BM container depot in Kadamrasul area of Sitakunda sub-district of Chittagong on Saturday night, followed by an explosion.
So far 40 bodies have reached the mortuary here. More than 450 people injured in the incident.
At least five firefighters were among the dead. The death toll is expected to rise. A police official posted at the Government Medical College Hospital told PTI that so far 40 bodies have been brought to the hospital morgue.
The accident took place at BM Container Depot in Kadamrasul area of Sitakund sub-district of Chittagong.
According to Nurul Alam, a police officer at Chittagong Medical College Hospital police outpost, a fire broke out in the container depot at around 9 pm on Saturday.
Firefighters were busy putting out the blaze when a powerful explosion erupted around 11:45 p.m. Due to the chemical in the containers, the fire spread from one container to another.
The blast was so loud that its sound could be heard several kilometers away. The surrounding houses shook. The windows of many houses were also shattered.
Hundreds of people, including police and firefighters, were burned. The death toll in the accident has risen to 40, the chief doctor of the Chittagong region told AFP news agency. More than 450 people are said to be injured. The injured are being treated.
