C T Online Desk: The death toll from the massive fire at a private container depot at Sitakunda in Chattogram following a blast Saturday night rose to 21, said fire service officials and police on Sunday.
There were three fire service members among the deceased, they said.
Over 200 people including workers, police and firemen also injured in the devastating fire.
Identities of the deceased couldn’t be known yet, said OC (investigation) Suman Banik of Sitakunda Police Station.
After hours of hectic effort 29 firefighting units managed to bring the blaze under control around 7.30 am.
Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence Assistant Director Faruk Hossain said sound of a large explosion rocked the area aroung 9:45 pm on Saturday.
“The explosion was heard within a radius of 4km from the spot,” Faruk added.
President of the association of inland container depot owners Nurul Qayum Khan said there was a container of hydrogen peroxide at the depot for shipment and that might be the reason behind the big blast.
Chattogram Civil Surgeon Ilias Chowdhury has requested everyone to rush to the blood bank of CMCH and donate blood.
Doctors from nearby government and private hospitals have been requested to report to CMCH to provide services to huge number of injured patients.
