A fire broke out at a BM container depot in Chittagong in Chittagong district on Saturday night, according to the state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangpat Sangstha (PSS).
The BSS said at least nine firefighters had been dispatched to put out the blaze. Two firefighters went missing late Sunday.
Containers filled with chemicals, including hydrogen peroxide or sulfur, continued to explode as firefighters were called in to put out the blaze Sunday afternoon, Reuters news agency reported, citing fire service officials.
Although the cause of the fire is unknown, fire service officials said it may have emerged from the hydrogen peroxide container and spread to other containers.
“It’s getting harder because of the toxic fumes in the area,” Newton Das told Reuters.
Locals told the agency that the initial explosion caused an earthquake in the neighborhood and later some of the glass windows in the local infrastructure were broken.
Depot officials have announced compensation of 10 lakh Bangladeshi Dhaka (approximately $ 11,200) to each family of workers killed in the fire, the BSS said.
They also promised six lakh Bangladeshi Dhaka (about $ 6700) for each worker who lost limbs in the fire and four lakh Bangladesh Dhaka (about $ 4500) for other injured workers.
The state news agency reports that the agency has set up a five-member commission of inquiry into the deadly incident.
The incident is the latest in a series of fatal accidents in the South Asian nation over the years.
With an additional report by Reuters.
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