At least six killed in explosion at Sitakunda oxygen plant; probe opens

The district administration forms a committee to investigate the incident

At least six people have died in an explosion at Sima Oxygen Limited’s plant in Chattogram’s Sitakunda.

The blast occurred at the private facility in the Kadam Rasul area of Sonaichhari near the Dhaka-Chattogam highway around 4:30 pm on Saturday, injuring around 25 others, officials said.

The government opened an investigation into the blast and announced that it would pay the medical bills for the victims.

After visiting the explosion site, Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Abul Bashar Mohammed Fakhruzzaman said a three-member committee was formed, and a fire service official would be part of the investigation.

The Fire Service and Civil Defence, the police and local administration officials rushed to the site after the incident, said Shahadat Hossain, chief executive of Sitakunda Upazila administration.

The fire service said nine units of firefighters brought the flames caused by the blast under control in less than an hour.

Ashraful Alam, an assistant commissioner, said that the rescuers found five bodies at the site of the blast.

Four of the dead were identified as Ratan Lokhret, 45, from Netrakona, Abdul Quader, 50, from Noakhali, Farid, 34, from Fouzdarhat in Chattogram and Shamsul Alam, 65, a resident of the Kadam Rasul area.

Obaidur Mostafa, brother of Shamsul, said the victim was at a firewood shop around 500 yards from the plant when a large piece of metal from the factory flew and fell on the shop. Shamsul died of excessive bleeding, Obaidur said.

Brig Gen Shamim Ahsan, the director of Chattogram Medical College Hospital, later confirmed the news of another victim’s death. He was identified as Md Salauddin from Laxmipur.

Shamim said 21 of the injured were brought to the hospital, and three of them were dead. Most of the victims were hit by objects during the blast.

Nezarat Deputy Collector Md Towhidul Islam, who visited the victims in the evening, said the district administration set up a control room. “The injured will be provided with medicines and all the expenses.”

Photos showed the blast ripped through metal structures of the factory in the Kadam Rasul area. The explosion damaged the entire plant. Smoke billowing from the factory could be seen from far away.

Some onlookers said they saw body parts strewn at the site.