An explosion at an oxygen plant in Sitakunda upazila of Bangladesh’s Chattogram killed at least five people and injured over thirty people.
The explosion occurred in the oxygen plant called ‘Seema Oxygen’ in Kadmarsul area of the upazila around 4:30 pm on Saturday.
Locals said that around 4:30 pm there was a loud explosion inside the oxygen plant.
Immediately after that, a fire was seen burning there. Within a short time, 9 units from Sitakunda and Kumira fire stations reached the spot and brought the fire under control. Those injured in the explosion and fire were rescued and taken to Chattogram Medical College Hospital.
According to the sources of Sitakunda unit of fire service, the identity of two of the five people killed in the explosion and fire has been known. They are Shamsul Alam and Farid Ahmad.
Shamsul Alam was in his wood shop a short distance from the plant when the blast occurred. In the explosion, a large piece of iron from the plant fell on him, killing him. Farid Ahmad was also killed by a flying iron plate. He was sitting in a car.
Meanwhile, soon after the fire was brought under control, the police and fire service personnel started rescue operations for the dead and injured. Later the army joined the rescue operation.
The fire service could not say anything clearly about the cause of the explosion.
However, the locals claimed that the explosion happened due to the owner’s negligence. The district administration of Chattogram has formed a three-member investigation committee to investigate the cause of the explosion.
Chattogram Medical College Hospital police outpost sources said that immediately after the incident, the burnt and injured are being brought to the hospital in ambulances and various vehicles.
Among the injured, 10 people are, Narayan Das (60), Jasim Uddin (43), Md. Liton (50), Fancy (28), Mujibur Rahman (40), Abdul Motaleb (52), Prabesh Lal Sharma (48), Engineer Shahriar (28), Md. Azad (22) and the car driver Soleman.
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