Chattogram Container Depot death toll goes up to 49 in Bangladesh

The death toll in the devastating fire at the Sitakunda inland container depot near Chattogram port rose to 49 as of Monday morning, confirmed the police authorities attached to the Chattogram Medical College Hospital. 

A fire service press release said that nine firemen were killed while trying to control the blaze at the depot. More than 15 firemen suffered injuries during the firefighting work at BM Container Depot in Shitolpur area of the Sitakund upazila of the district. . More than 300 injured people are undergoing treatment at different hospitals in Chattogram. 

A team of army personnel was also assisting in relief and rescue work. The fire was still smoldering at a few places till Sunday evening even though its spread was brought under control on Sunday morning after the fire broke out



on Saturday night around 9.30 p.m.

The BM Container depot has announced an ex-gratia payment of Taka 10 lakh to the deceased and Taka 6 lakh to the seriously injured who suffered loss of limb and Taka 4 lakh for those seriously injured. Earlier, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has allocated Taka one crore in cash and 1,000 packets of dry and other food items as humanitarian assistance for the victims of the Sitakunda fire.

The fire incident started on Saturday night at the B M Inland Container depot in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram district. It quickly spread in the depot causing multiple blasts in containers believed to be storing highly inflammable material for export. It is estimated to have caused a loss of over 110 million USD.