We are shocked and saddened at the loss of lives and injuries in the BM Container depot horrific fire at Sitakunda in Chattogram. At least 43 people were killed and over 400 injured after a huge fire broke out at BM Container Depot Ltd, a Netherlands-Bangladesh joint venture company, on Saturday night. Among the deceased, six are fire service personnel. It is apprehended that the number of deaths will be increased.
The fire believed to have caused massive explosion after coming in contact with hydrogen peroxide, an oxidising agent which is not inflammable but can make fire more intense. Officials of the Explosives Department of Chattogram said they were not informed that BM Container Depot stored Hydrogen Peroxide there. Besides, the joint venture company did not have any licence to store such material
We believe that the government will do
everything possible to ensure proper
treatment of the fire victims
The fire service and civil defense personnel were unable to make headway despite multiple attempts since Sunday morning due to the fire that was being sometimes fueled by Hydrogen peroxide. A fire service media cell press release also said five fire men died and 15 personnel were injured while trying to extinguish the flame as its two members went missing. The injured people including police and fire service personnel, of whom, many received burn injuries, are undergoing treatment in different hospitals in Chattogram.
This horrific incident is not acceptable by any means. We pray for eternal peace of the departed souls and convey deep sympathy to the bereaved family members. However, apart from rescue operation, the authorities concerned must take prompt measures for treatment of the injured people. Also, both local people and the government will have to work concertedly to give all out support to the affected people. Earlier we saw many people met the tragic end of their lives and while many more received injured in the fire when godown of chemical and flammable materials exploded in spite of knowing about the risk of fire accidents in capital Dhaka and other places of the country. The government will have to take firm stance to remove inflammable and risky materials from any business establishments. The businessmen must have a completely separate place for godowns where inflammable or risky materials would be safe. Such risky and inflammable materials should not be allowed to store at any business establishments without safety.
The Sitakunda tragedy is a lesson for all businessmen especially those who store risky and inflammable materials without any safety measures. The businessmen must build a separate modern warehouse for risky and inflammable materials alongside ensuring fire safety where any blaze could be contained promptly before it could cause any casualty or major damage.
We must stay alert against recurrence of such tragedy anywhere in the country. We believe that the government will do everything possible to ensure proper treatment of the fire victims.
