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Four killed, more than 150 injured in Ctg container depot fire

AmiEktaKharapChele

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Highlights-

  • The fire broke out at the BM Container Depot at Bhatiari around 11pm
  • Several containers of chemicals exploded simultaneously
  • Around 600 people work in BM Container Depot
  • Four people were killed and more than 150 injured
  • 1,000 containers belonging to RMG owners were burnt in the fire, says BGMEA vice president

At least four workers were killed and more than 150 injured after a fire broke out at a container depot in Chattogram's Sitakunda on Saturday night.


The fire broke out at the BM Container Depot at Bhatiari around 11pm and many containers of chemicals exploded simultaneously.


On information, 19 firefighting units rushed to the spot and started working to douse the blaze, said Agrabad Fire Service's Assistant Director Faruk Hossain Shikder.

Civil Surgeon Mohammad Illius Chowdhury confirmed TBS about the death of four people at 3am. He also said the number of casualties may rise as some are in critical condition.

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"More than 100 injured people have been brought to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) on 15 ambulances and cars from the depot. Among them, 50 were admitted to burn unit," said SI Alauddin of CMCH Police Outpost.

Twenty more injured workers were taken to Parkview Hospital. Some injured were rushed to Combined Military Hospital and other hospitals in Chattogram.


Chattogram Divisional Health Director Dr. Shahriar Hasan said, "Most of the patients suffered minor burns. They are being identified and released after giving first aid. The condition of the five more workers is critical."

One of the deceased was identified as Mominul Haque, 22. He was a computer operator of the depot.

The Civil Surgeon of Chittagong has instructed all the government and private medical doctors of Chittagong to come to CMCH urgently.

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"The fire originated from a Cambodia-bound container of Hydrogen peroxide and soon it spread to ten more containers immediately," said container depot owners' association President Nurul Qayyuum Khan.

BM Container Depot Director Mujibur Rahman said, "The cause of the fire could not be ascertained yet. However, I think the fire started from a container. We will stand by the victims. Arrangements are being made for the injured to get better treatment. We will bear the full cost of their treatment."

"Those who have suffered casualties in this accident will be given maximum compensation. Besides, the families of all the victims will be taken care of as well. Assistance will be provided as the administration decides. Please stay by the victims," he added.

An injured driver named Shahalam told TBS, "I went to the depot to unload goods. I fainted following a sudden explosion. I can't remember what happened afterward."

Meanwhile, BGMEA Vice-President Rakibul Alam Chowdhury said that around 1,000 TEUs containers of products belonging to RMG owners were burnt in the fire at BM Depot.

He told TBS that containers of leading exporters including H&M, Pran Group, Ananta Group had been brought here over the last four to five days for shipping to America and Europe. This fire incident has caused huge financial losses to the garment factory owners.



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Around 600 people work in BM Container Depot. It has a storage capacity of 6,500 TEUs in its 30-acre area.

Earlier in 2020, three workers were killed and three more injured after an oil tank exploded at a container depot in Chattogram's Patenga area.

In Bangladesh, there are 19 inland container depots, which handle almost 100% of export goods. These depots also handle 38 types of import goods. All the depots have a storage capacity of 77,000 TEUs containers.



Source
 
One cannot rule out clandestine overseas involvement in these situations.

We have plenty of enemies, some intent to destroy our export infra, they have fertile ground locally in sowing their evil seeds.

Just a few days ago there was a fire at the new Parenteral Unit set up at Square Pharma.


You can guess which Frenemy country has plans to destroy everything we have worked so hard for.

It is clear that Hazmat safety procedures around handling chemicals in ports are too loosey- goosey and the local fire services are a bunch of uneducated clowns like the Ansar Force.

Bangladesh has an equivalent of the FEMA (MODMR) in responding to disasters like this, which is still a lot better than other countries in South Asia I'd say. But they need to be far more vigilant and train much more intensely in handling something like this.

Human life is cheap in Bangladesh.

The BGMEA RMG Accord for Fire and Bldg. safety need to train the Chittagong Port Authority workers and they also need extensive training from US OSHA and their equivalent Canadian and EU Fire and Hazmat safety trainers to up their response standards (they need to up the educational qualifications for fire fighters instead of hiring eight pass idiots),

The RMG accord has reports on each approved apparel factory in Bangladesh. Their inspection and follow up standards are well above that required by the neglected/incompetent fire and civil-defense people.

 
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View attachment 851367

Highlights-


  • The fire broke out at the BM Container Depot at Bhatiari around 11pm
  • Several containers of chemicals exploded simultaneously
  • Around 600 people work in BM Container Depot
  • Four people were killed and more than 150 injured
  • 1,000 containers belonging to RMG owners were burnt in the fire, says BGMEA vice president

At least four workers were killed and more than 150 injured after a fire broke out at a container depot in Chattogram's Sitakunda on Saturday night.


The fire broke out at the BM Container Depot at Bhatiari around 11pm and many containers of chemicals exploded simultaneously.


On information, 19 firefighting units rushed to the spot and started working to douse the blaze, said Agrabad Fire Service's Assistant Director Faruk Hossain Shikder.

Civil Surgeon Mohammad Illius Chowdhury confirmed TBS about the death of four people at 3am. He also said the number of casualties may rise as some are in critical condition.

View attachment 851369

"More than 100 injured people have been brought to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) on 15 ambulances and cars from the depot. Among them, 50 were admitted to burn unit," said SI Alauddin of CMCH Police Outpost.

Twenty more injured workers were taken to Parkview Hospital. Some injured were rushed to Combined Military Hospital and other hospitals in Chattogram.


Chattogram Divisional Health Director Dr. Shahriar Hasan said, "Most of the patients suffered minor burns. They are being identified and released after giving first aid. The condition of the five more workers is critical."

One of the deceased was identified as Mominul Haque, 22. He was a computer operator of the depot.

The Civil Surgeon of Chittagong has instructed all the government and private medical doctors of Chittagong to come to CMCH urgently.

View attachment 851372

"The fire originated from a Cambodia-bound container of Hydrogen peroxide and soon it spread to ten more containers immediately," said container depot owners' association President Nurul Qayyuum Khan.

BM Container Depot Director Mujibur Rahman said, "The cause of the fire could not be ascertained yet. However, I think the fire started from a container. We will stand by the victims. Arrangements are being made for the injured to get better treatment. We will bear the full cost of their treatment."

"Those who have suffered casualties in this accident will be given maximum compensation. Besides, the families of all the victims will be taken care of as well. Assistance will be provided as the administration decides. Please stay by the victims," he added.

An injured driver named Shahalam told TBS, "I went to the depot to unload goods. I fainted following a sudden explosion. I can't remember what happened afterward."

Meanwhile, BGMEA Vice-President Rakibul Alam Chowdhury said that around 1,000 TEUs containers of products belonging to RMG owners were burnt in the fire at BM Depot.

He told TBS that containers of leading exporters including H&M, Pran Group, Ananta Group had been brought here over the last four to five days for shipping to America and Europe. This fire incident has caused huge financial losses to the garment factory owners.



View attachment 851375
Around 600 people work in BM Container Depot. It has a storage capacity of 6,500 TEUs in its 30-acre area.

Earlier in 2020, three workers were killed and three more injured after an oil tank exploded at a container depot in Chattogram's Patenga area.

In Bangladesh, there are 19 inland container depots, which handle almost 100% of export goods. These depots also handle 38 types of import goods. All the depots have a storage capacity of 77,000 TEUs containers.



Source

With huge and growing exports - we need our ports to be professionally managed.

Hint! Seek out the big players.

Also need better segregation of hazardous materials.

Hasina’s hindsight of building more ports gives us resilience against these accidents and tragedies.
 
This is where all south Asain nations should work together to support each other in disaster management and how to handle large scale emergencies.
 
One cannot rule out clandestine overseas involvement in these situations.

We have plenty of enemies, some intent to destroy our export infra, they have fertile ground locally in sowing their evil seeds.

Just a few days ago there was a fire at the new Parenteral Unit set up at Square Pharma.


You can guess which Frenemy country has plans to destroy everything we have worked so hard for.

It is clear that Hazmat safety procedures around handling chemicals in ports are too loosey- goosey and the local fire services are a bunch of uneducated clowns like the Ansar Force.

Bangladesh has an equivalent of the FEMA (MODMR) in responding to disasters like this, which is still a lot better than other countries in South Asia I'd say. But they need to be far more vigilant and train much more intensely in handling something like this.

Human life is cheap in Bangladesh.

The BGMEA RMG Accord for Fire and Bldg. safety need to train the Chittagong Port Authority workers and they also need extensive training from US OSHA and their equivalent Canadian and EU Fire and Hazmat safety trainers to up their response standards (they need to up the educational qualifications for fire fighters instead of hiring eight pass idiots),

The RMG accord has reports on each approved apparel factory in Bangladesh. Their inspection and follow up standards are well above that required by the neglected/incompetent fire and civil-defense people.

The way we handle hazardous materials, we are our own biggest enemy.

Unfortunately, modernising the Fire Service and enforcing fire codes are not "profitable" ventures for ruling party thugs hence the neglect.
 
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With huge and growing exports - we need our ports to be professionally managed.

Hint! Seek out the big players.

Also need better segregation of hazardous materials.

Hasina’s hindsight of building more ports gives us resilience against these accidents and tragedies.
Screenshot_20220605-235417_Chrome.jpg


Big player or small, means squat if you do not enforce strict Fire & Life Safety and HAZMAT regulations.
It is not by miracle that European nations rarely see such disasters - it is because European governments do not hesitate to go anal with rogue operators.
 
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Horrible tragedy but unlikely to be foreign involvement.

Lessons need to be learnt here and implemented to minimise a repeat.
 
Updated death toll sits at 49 now.. dozens still in critical condition.


The depot is less than 10 km from my father's home village.. sad times
 
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View attachment 851614

Big player or small, means squat if you do not enforce strict Fire & Life Safety and HAZMAT regulations.
It is not by miracle that European nations rarely see such disasters - it is because European governments do not hesitate to go anal with rogue operators.

Joint ventures!!! Probably means pass the buck!!!

Let a big private company run it and then hold them to account for losses to life and income.
 

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