Dhaka : 16 people dead from blast in Bangladesh
At least 16 people have been dead in an explosion at a container warehouse in Bangladesh. More than 450 injured and hospitalized.
The blast struck shortly after noon in front of a container warehouse in Sitakunda, southeastern Bangladesh. It is said that a fire broke out in the warehouse first. Several fire brigades were called to put out the blaze.
The blast struck shortly after noon as firefighters were trying to put out the blaze. The blast struck shortly after noon in front of a police station. The cause of the fire has not been revealed yet. A special investigation is underway.
Several firefighters were reported dead and wounded. Twenty of the injured are in critical condition and the death toll could rise, hospital sources said.
A hospital spokesman told the media that some had more than 60 percent burns and some had more than 90 percent burns.
Sitakunda is located 40 km from Chittagong, the second largest city in Bangladesh. All those with serious burn injuries were taken to hospitals in Chittagong, media reports said.
The blast struck shortly after noon in front of a police station, damaging homes and buildings four kilometers away, according to Bangladesh News Agency.
(Reuters)