A massive explosion has occurred in a container warehouse full of chemicals in Bangladesh. So far, 49 people have died in the blast. As work continued in the area, the military erected barriers along the coastline to prevent chemicals from reaching the ocean.
In southeastern Bangladesh, at least 49 people have died as a result of an explosion at a container warehouse full of chemicals.
In the city of Chittagong, 216 kilometers southeast of the capital Dhaka, an explosion occurred in a container warehouse full of chemicals for reasons yet to be determined, NDTV reported.
The blast killed at least 49 people and injured more than 300.
CHEMICAL REACTION CAUSED BY EXPLOSION
Nurul Alam, a police officer at Chattagram Medical School Hospital, said in a statement: “According to initial investigations, it appears that the explosion was caused by a chemical reaction.”
Tofael Ahmed, a truck driver who witnessed the explosion, said: “The explosion threw me about 10 metres from where I was, my hands and legs were burned.”
It was stated that the wounded were treated in hospitals in the region and calls were made for blood donation.
5 FIREFIGHTERS LOST THEIR LIVES
Bangladesh Civil Defense and Fire Brigade Director Main Uddin announced that fire brigades in the region participated in the firefighting efforts and that at least 5 firefighters were among those who lost their lives.
Uddin said that after the first explosion in the container warehouse, there were many explosions and the fire spread over a wide area.
CAN CHEMICALS REACH THE OCEAN?
According to local media reports, the windows of buildings in the area were broken due to the explosion.
To prevent the chemicals from reaching the Indian Ocean, soldiers placed sandbags in the area.
