A large fire and subsequent explosions at a container depot partly in the Netherlands in Bangladesh killed dozens of people around midnight. This is reported by international news agencies. At the time of writing, the death toll is at least 38, including five firefighters. Some of the more than 150 injured are in critical condition. The accident happened at the Dutch-Bengali company BM Inland Container Depot, in the port of Chittagong.
Although not yet certain, the fire service suspects that the fire started in a container containing hydrogen peroxide, an oxidizing agent that reacts strongly to combustible substances. The fire quickly spread to surrounding containers. The explosions that followed — some containers containing other chemicals — were so violent they could be felt four kilometers away. Windows of surrounding buildings jumped out, Reuters reports. The fire was still not under control Sunday morning.
Bangladesh has a fast-growing economy, but still has a lot to gain in terms of industrial safety. Last year at least 52 people lost their lives in a fire at a factory in the South Asian country of more than 164 million inhabitants. Combustible chemicals also catch fire in this case. Although working conditions in the internationally important clothing industry have improved, experts have been warning about accidents in other sectors for some time.