The death toll in the fire at a container depot in Chattogram’s Sitakunda rose to 17, according to the local authorities, bdnews24.com reports.
One of the victims was identified as Mominul Haque, 22, a computer operator at the privately run BM Container Depot, the site of the explosion that ignited the fire.
BM Container Depot Ltd is a Netherlands-Bangladesh joint venture, according to its website.
Two of the dead were firefighters. One of them was identified as Moniruzzaman, a nursing assistant, while the authorities could not provide details of the second firefighter.
“We’re sure that he’s our staff as the body was found clad in a fire suit. But the face was burnt beyond recognition,” said one of the fire service officers from the scene.
ASI Alauddin Talukder of Chattogram Medical College Hospital police outpost said that 17 bodies have been brought to the morgue so far. Two of them are fire service workers.
Officials said more than 100 people, including workers, policemen and firefighters, were injured in the fire that erupted around 9:30pm on Saturday.
As many as 10 policemen and 53 others were admitted to CMCH until 12:45am on Sunday.
Fire Service and Civil Defence said 15 of its units were at the scene. As Chattogram Fire Service personnel struggled to bring the fire under control, reinforcement was called in from Feni, Noakhali and Cumilla at around 3:30 am.
The fire spread due to the explosion, said Shahjahan Shikder, a deputy director of the fire service.
Local journalist Mizanur Rahman Yusuf said the explosion was heard from as far as three kilometres away.
Initial reports suggested the fire had originated from chemicals, said Nurul Alam Dulal, senior station officer at Kumria Fire Station.
