Fire kills dozens at Dutch-Bangladeshi container depot near Dhaka
Around 38 people have died in a fire at a container depot run by a Dutch-Bangladeshi joint venture in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The fire, which broke out around midnight local time on Sunday, also injured around 150 other people, according to the AP.
Explosions rocked the BM Inland Container Depot as containers of chemicals on the property caught fire. People as far as 4 kilometers away from the blaze felt the explosions. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
The victims of the fire include at least five firefighters, and 15 more are currently being treated for their burns. On Sunday, firefighters are still attempting to control the flames. It is also possible that the death toll will grow as the day progresses, the area's civil surgeon told the AP.
The depot, which processes goods for import and export, is located 216 kilometers southeast of capital city Dhaka. The city has been beset by various industrial catastrophes in recent years, including the collapse of the Rana Plaza garment factory in 2013, which killed over 1,100 people.
Corruption and poor enforcement, such as illegally locked doors in factories or buildings that do not pass inspection, are among the major causes of these disasters. In addition, many global brands have recently faced criticism for employing low-paid Bangladeshi workers to cut costs, without ensuring safe working conditions.
