Four killed, many injured in massive explosion in Chattogram container depot

At least four people were killed and over fifty others including police and fire servicemen injured in a massive explosion at a container depot in Chattogram's Sitakunda on Saturday night.

The explosion rocked the area at around 11 in the night.

Chattogram Medical College Hospital police camp's in charge Nurul Alam said 60 to 70 injured persons were admitted to the hospital and around 20 of them are in critical condition.

Police, fire service, and local sources said the fire ensued inside the loading point of BM container depot at around 9:30pm. Three units of firefighters were trying to douse the blaze but the fire spread to a nearby container at around 10:45am. A massive explosion went off as a container of chemical substances caught fire.

Inspector (investigation) of Sitakunda police station Suman Banik told Prothom Alo that a constable named Tuhin and five other constables, Foujdarhat police outpost's sub inspector Motahar Hossain and several members of industrial police were injured in the explosion. At least one firefighter was also reportedly injured in the blast.

Identities of the victims could not be ascertained immediately.