2022 Sitakunda fire: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 22°27′20″N 91°44′14″E / 22.4555°N 91.7373°E / 22.4555; 91.7373
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| image1 = [https://web.archive.org/web/20220605120915im_/https://thehill.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/a499bd9512cf4e61a4c400f4707efc5e.jpg A firefighter facing the fire at night]{{r|hill}}
| image1 = [https://web.archive.org/web/20220605120915im_/https://thehill.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/a499bd9512cf4e61a4c400f4707efc5e.jpg A firefighter facing the fire at night]{{r|hill}}

Revision as of 15:12, 5 June 2022

2022 Sitakunda fire
Map
Date4 June 2022
TimeStart of fire:
~21:00 BST (15:00 UTC)[1]
First explosion:
~23:45 BST (17:45 UTC)[1]
LocationBM Container Depot, Kadamrasul area, Sitakunda Upazila, Chittagong District, Bangladesh
Coordinates22°27′20″N 91°44′14″E / 22.4555°N 91.7373°E / 22.4555; 91.7373
TypeFire
Deaths49[2]
Non-fatal injuries450+[1]
External images
image icon A firefighter facing the fire at night[3]
image icon Fighting the fire the next day[2]
image icon The fire as seen from a distance[1]
image icon A victim being transported to hospital[4]

On the night of Saturday, 4 June 2022, a fire and subsequent explosions at a container storage facility in Sitakunda Upazila, Chittagong District, Bangladesh, killed at least 49 people and injured more than 450 others.[5][1][2][6]

The incident occurred at BM Container Depot in the Kadamrasul area of Sitakunda Upazila.[1][7] The head of Bangladesh's fire service stated that hydrogen peroxide was present in the depot, and prevented the fire from being controlled.[8] As of Sunday afternoon, the fire was still burning, and the Bangladesh Army had joined the efforts to fight the fire.[9][2]

Background

BM Container Depot, a private Dutch–Bangladesh joint venture, is an inland container depot that has been dealing with goods for import and export since 2011.[1][2][7] Local media reported that the depot had held about 5,000 containers.[2] Many of these were for the garment industry and contained hazardous chemicals used within it, including hydrogen peroxide.[10]

Fire

Local emergency services and sources reported that the fire began inside the loading area of the depot around 21:00 BST (15:00 UTC).[1] The first explosion was massive and occurred around 23:45 BST (17:45 UTC).[1][6] This initial explosion triggered multiple subsequent explosions.[1][11] Several of the containers held flammable chemicals, and when the fire engulfed them, they caused explosions and the spread of the fire.[12]

The explosions were reported to have shook the ground in the surrounding area and shattered windows of nearby buildings.[12] The force of the explosions was large enough that it affected buildings kilometres away.[8][2] The fumes from the fire were also toxic due to the chemicals involved, making the firefighting effort more difficult.[12]

An eyewitness stated that the explosion "sent fireballs in[to] the sky" that then fell "like rain".[13] One victim stated that he was standing inside the depot when the explosion threw him about 10 metres, and that his hands and legs were burnt.[13]

Casualties

At least 49 people were killed and more than 450 others injured due to the incident.[1][2][14] A Chittagong health official stated that at least 350 of the injured were at Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH).[1] Many of those deceased were burnt badly enough that a CMCH official stated that DNA profiling is needed to determine their identities.[4] Volunteers stated that there were still more bodies remaining in the depot.[8]

Brigadier General Main Uddin, Director General of the Bangladesh Fire Service & Civil Defence, reported that five firefighters were amongst those killed, and twenty-one amongst those injured.[15] A number of journalists who were livestreaming on social media were still missing.[8]

Aftermath

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was in "deep shock and sorrow" due to the severity of the incident, and requested that authorities provide treatment to those injured.[16] The government announced that families of those deceased would receive 50,000 BDT (522.90 EUR[a]) in compensation, while those injured would receive 20,000 BDT (209.16 EUR[a]).[18]

Multiple committees were being formed to investigate the incident.[19]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b EUR value based on exchange rate of 95.62 BDT/EUR on 5 June 2022.[17]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Pimple Barua (5 June 2022). "40 killed, over 450 injured in Chittagong container depot fire". Dhaka Tribune. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Bangladesh: Deadly fire and explosions at container facility". Al Jazeera. 5 June 2022. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022.
  3. ^ Alam, Julhas (5 June 2022). "At least 49 dead in 2nd day of Bangladesh cargo depot fire". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Depot fire: Many bodies burnt beyond recognition". www.dhakatribune.com. 5 June 2022. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022.
  5. ^ "Bangladesh: 16 killed, scores injured in depot blast". BBC News. 5 June 2022. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022.
  6. ^ a b Paul, Ruma (5 June 2022). "Firefighters still working to put out deadly Bangladesh container blaze". Reuters. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022.
  7. ^ a b Alam, Julhas (5 June 2022). "At least 49 dead in 2nd day of Bangladesh cargo depot fire". Washington Post. AP.
  8. ^ a b c d "Bangladesh port depot fire kills 49, injures 300". Arab News. 5 June 2022. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022.
  9. ^ "Chittagong depot fire: Army joins rescue operation". www.dhakatribune.com. 5 June 2022. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022.
  10. ^ "At least 34 killed and scores injured in Bangladesh depot fire". AFP. 4 June 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2022 – via The Guardian.
  11. ^ "Bangladesh depot fire leaves dozens dead, many others injured | DW | 05.06.2022". DW. 5 June 2022.
  12. ^ a b c Jeong, Sophie; Rebane, Teele; Haq, Sana Noor (5 June 2022). "Fire tears through Bangladesh container depot killing 37 and injuring hundreds". CNN. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  13. ^ a b https://archive.today/20220605135116/https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20220605-bangladesh-port-depot-fire-kills-dozens-injures-hundreds
  14. ^ "Nearly 50 killed in fire at Bangladesh container depot". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  15. ^ "Sitakunda fire: 8 firefighters killed in line of duty". www.dhakatribune.com. 5 June 2022. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022.
  16. ^ "PM Hasina shocked at loss of lives in Sitakunda depot fire". Dhaka Tribune. 5 June 2022.
  17. ^ "EUR/BDT Currency Exchange Rate & News - Google Finance". www.google.com. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022.
  18. ^ "Depot fire: Ministry to provide 2L compensation for families of deceased". www.dhakatribune.com. 5 June 2022. Archived from the original on 5 June 2022.
  19. ^ https://archive.today/20220605145119/https://www.banglanews24.com/daily-chittagong/news/bd/934940.details
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