Dhaka, Jun. 6, (dpa/GNA) – The authorities have launched an investigation into a deadly fire at a container depot in eastern Bangladesh, as firefighters battled to bring the flames under control for the third day running, officials said on Monday.
At least 49 people died in the fire that broke out on Saturday night at the BM Inland Container Depot, a Dutch-Bangladesh joint venture near the port city of Chattagram.
“An investigation was launched to determine the reason behind the blaze,” Home Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told reporters in Dhaka. The investigators will also look into whether sabotage could have been involved, he said.
Those responsible for the accident will be brought to justice, he added.
Efforts to extinguish the fire were hampered by chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide in many of the containers inside the depot, located nearly 300 kilometres southeast of the capital Dhaka and 20 kilometres from the major port of Chittagong.
Firefighting official Anisur Rahman said on Monday his team was still trying to put out the fire, aided by the army. He said the fire had been brought under control in large parts of the warehouse.
Nine firefighters have been confirmed dead and three others are still missing, he said. The victims died in an initial explosion. No further deaths were reported on Monday, he added.
Zakir Hasan Bappi, a member of the firefighting unit who survived the explosion, said the blast occurred soon after an increase in the water pressure supplied by the fire engine just metres away.
GNA