Sitakunda fire death toll reaches 44 as another victim dies at CMCH

Death toll in the fire and massive explosion at the BM Inland Container Depot reached 44 as another injured, who was undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit of Chattogram Medical College Hospital, died from his injuries on early Wednesday.

The deceased was identified as Md Masud Rana, 37, son of Khalilur Rahman, hailed from Bhatara of Sharishabari area in Jamalpur, said officials.

Masud Rana was the RST operator of the BM Inland Container Depot.

CMCH director Shamim Ahsan confirmed the news to New Age on Wednesday morning.

‘Masud Rana was undergoing treatment at the ICU from Saturday night after he was rushed to the hospital. He died from his injuries at about 4:00am,’ he said.

With this, the death toll reached 44, the CMCH director said.

At least 44 people were reportedly killed till Wednesday and more than 200 were injured in the fire and explosion at BM Container Depot in Chattogram’s Sitakunda on Saturday night.

The explosion took place as hydrogen peroxide was stored in some containers.

Al Razi Chemical Complex Limited, a sister concern of Smart Group of Industries, which is also the owner of the depot, owned the hydrogen peroxide-laden containers.

However, the local administration on Monday revised the death figure to 41 from the previously reported 49 on Sunday, attributing the error to double-counting in the immediate aftermath of the catastrophe.

‘We have finally counted 41 bodies,’ said Chattogram civil surgeon Elias Chowdhury on Monday, adding that a few bodies were counted both on the spot and at the hospital morgue.

A total of 40 people claimed that their family members remained missing after the incident and provided DNA samples to the hospital authorities on Monday and Tuesday, Shahnewaz Khaled, special superintendent of Criminal Investigation Department, Chattogram, told New Age.

Families of the injured victims are struggling to support them, many of whom are in critical condition. At least 62 victims are undergoing treatment at CMCH.

BM Container Depot, a Dutch-Bangladeshi joint venture, was set up as an inland container depot that had been operating since May 2011.

It is one of 19 such ICDs in Chattogram.

The chairman of the depot is Dutch businessman Bert Pronk, who also has other investments in Bangladesh, while the managing director is Mustafizur Rahman of the Smart Group of Industries.

Chattogram south district Awami League treasurer Muzibur Rahman, also the editor of the Chattogram local daily Purbodesh, is an owner of Al Razi Chemical Complex Limited and a director of BM Container Depot.

News Courtesy:

https://www.newagebd.net/article/172684/sitakunda-fire-death-toll-reaches-44-as-another-victim-dies-at-cmch