The government has announced to provide financial assistance to the victims of Sitakunda oxygen plant fire that claimed lives of six people and injured 50 others.
State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian made the announcement on Sunday.
She also expressed deep shock over the loss of lives in the fire.
The government also announced Tk 25,000 for the burial of the deceased while Tk 2 lakh to the family members of each deceased.
Besides, Tk 50,000 was announced for the treatment of the injured victims.
Already the cheques were handed over to the relatives of the deceased and injured victims.
Earlier in the day, rescue efforts have been conducted for a second day at the Seema Oxygen Plant in Sitakunda, Chattogram, where a massive fire broke out following an explosion on Saturday afternoon, officials said.
The Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and police resumed rescue operations from Sunday morning. Previously, FSCD suspended rescue efforts at around 8:30pm on Saturday due to lack of light.
Confirming the matter, FSCD Agrabad Assistant Director Abdul Malek said, “Fire service team has started rescue work since morning. Volunteers from various organisations are also assisting,
“This is an oxygen plant. Thousands of oxygen bottles are scattered around the factory. So, fire service personnel have to work with caution.”
The explosion took place around 4:30pm at the oxygen plant of Sheema Automatic Re-Rolling Mills Limited, Sitakunda Fire Service officer Md Fazle Rabbi said. Residents within a radius of up to two kilometers from the plant felt the aftershock of the explosion.
On information, nine firefighting units rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control at 5:40pm, he added.
However, the reason behind the blast and fire could not be known immediately, said the official.
Chattogram Superintendent of Police SM Shafiullah said, “Five bodies were recovered from the scene till 6:36pm and 30 injured were sent to Chittagong Medical College and Hospital.”
The identities of the deceased could not be known immediately, said Nurul Alam, in-charge of the Chittagong Medical College Hospital police outpost.
Of the injured, nine are identified as Md Nur Hossain, 30, Md Arafat, 22, Motaleb, 52, Fancy, 30, Md Jasim Uddin, 45, Narayan, 60, Md Forkan Dada, 35, Shahriar, 26, and Md Zahid Hasan, 26.
Most of the injured were brought to Chittagong Medical College Hospital, he added. Residents around the plant say that there was a loud explosion. The windows and doors of many houses near the plant were broken. People came out of their houses in fear.
On June 4 last year, a fire and explosion at the BM Container Depot in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram claimed the lives of 51 people while more than 200 were injured and a huge quantity of import and export containers were damaged.
Meanwhile, a seven-member probe committee, headed by Additional District Magistrate Rakib Hasan, has been formed to investigate the causes of the explosion, Chittagong District Commissioner Abul Bashar Mohammad Fakhruzzaman said.
While visiting the spot, Mohammad Fakhruzzaman said that the committee has been asked submit its report within the next five working days.
He told the reporters that a control room has been opened by the district administration at the Chittagong Medical College Hospital. “The government will provide all medical expenses and medicines to the injured for free of cost.”
The entire plant was damaged in the blast, locals said. Witness Muslim Uddin said the explosion was “so loud and devastating” that it shook all residential houses in the area.
“Glass in many houses was shattered. The entire area went dark,” he said.
