Death toll rises to 43 from Bangladesh's container depot fire-Xinhua

Death toll rises to 43 from Bangladesh's container depot fire

Source: Xinhua| 2022-06-07 18:19:45|Editor: huaxia

Rescuers search for missing persons at the site of a container depot fire in Chattogram, Bangladesh, June 7, 2022. Two more bodies were recovered on Tuesday afternoon from the site of a container depot fire on the outskirts of Bangladesh's seaport city Chattogram, some 242 km southeast of capital Dhaka, taking the death toll to 43. (Xinhua)

DHAKA, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Two more bodies were recovered on Tuesday afternoon from the site of a container depot fire on the outskirts of Bangladesh's seaport city Chattogram, some 242 km southeast of capital Dhaka, taking the death toll to 43.

Firefighters have brought the fire under control on Tuesday, almost three days after its breakout. The fire also injured hundreds of others.

Lieutenant Colonel Ariful Islam, the commanding officer of the 18-Bir contingent of Bangladesh Army, told the press that they had managed to bring the fire under control.

"There is no risk of further explosion as firefighters have brought the blaze at the depot under control," he said, adding the firefighters had marked the hazardous area and were working to prevent further damage and contain further contamination.

The fire broke out from one of the containers loaded with chemicals at the private BM Container Depot, a Netherlands-Bangladesh joint venture on Saturday night, leading to multiple explosions in the container yard.

"Rescuers retrieved body remains of two people including a firefighter and a security guard on Tuesday," Brigadier General Shamim Ahsan, director of Chattogram Medical College Hospital, told Xinhua.

"These two bodies were recovered on Tuesday afternoon, taking the number of total deaths to 43 from 41," he added.

At least 10 firefighters were among the dead, he said.

According to Brigadier General Shamim Ahsan, at least 250 people suffered from burn injuries in the devastating fire and were treated in the hospital.

To bolster the rescue and fire controlling efforts, the Bangladesh Army also joined the fire service on Sunday, with about 250 soldiers working there.

Aerial photo taken on June 7, 2022 shows firefighters spraying water to extinguish a fire at the site of a container depot fire in Chattogram, Bangladesh. Two more bodies were recovered on Tuesday afternoon from the site of a container depot fire on the outskirts of Bangladesh's seaport city Chattogram, some 242 km southeast of capital Dhaka, taking the death toll to 43. (Xinhua)

Aerial photo taken on June 7, 2022 shows the site of a container depot fire in Chattogram, Bangladesh. Two more bodies were recovered on Tuesday afternoon from the site of a container depot fire on the outskirts of Bangladesh's seaport city Chattogram, some 242 km southeast of capital Dhaka, taking the death toll to 43. (Xinhua)

Aerial photo taken on June 7, 2022 shows the site of a container depot fire in Chattogram, Bangladesh. Two more bodies were recovered on Tuesday afternoon from the site of a container depot fire on the outskirts of Bangladesh's seaport city Chattogram, some 242 km southeast of capital Dhaka, taking the death toll to 43. (Xinhua)

Aerial photo taken on June 7, 2022 shows smoke billowing from the site of a container depot fire in Chattogram, Bangladesh. Two more bodies were recovered on Tuesday afternoon from the site of a container depot fire on the outskirts of Bangladesh's seaport city Chattogram, some 242 km southeast of capital Dhaka, taking the death toll to 43. (Xinhua)

A firefighter searches for missing persons at the site of a container depot fire in Chattogram, Bangladesh, June 7, 2022. Two more bodies were recovered on Tuesday afternoon from the site of a container depot fire on the outskirts of Bangladesh's seaport city Chattogram, some 242 km southeast of capital Dhaka, taking the death toll to 43. (Xinhua)

Aerial photo taken on June 7, 2022 shows firefighters spraying water to extinguish a fire at the site of a container depot fire in Chattogram, Bangladesh. Two more bodies were recovered on Tuesday afternoon from the site of a container depot fire on the outskirts of Bangladesh's seaport city Chattogram, some 242 km southeast of capital Dhaka, taking the death toll to 43. (Xinhua)

EXPLORE XINHUANET