On Saturday, June 4, 2022, around 9 pm, a fire consumed a storage depot in Sitakunda, an upazila in Chittagong. Hundreds of firefighters, police and volunteers arrived at the site, and as they attempted to extinguish the blaze, several of the shipping boxes—believed to contain chemicals—were engulfed by the flames and the rescuers were met with a huge explosion. The explosive noise of the blast even resounded half a mile away and smashed windows. Reportedly, there were about 3,000-4,000 containers at the depot; 33 contained hydrogen peroxide. As flames spread, one explosion triggered yet another. Ambulances hurried the wounded to nearby hospitals, where beds were overfilled and crowds were awaiting medical care in the halls, while some were airlifted to Dhaka. By two days after the incident, about 50 people had died—and the death toll was expected to increase—and many people lost their limbs and were in critical condition, and others were missing. On Monday, June 6, the fire was still blazing but it was under control. 

The depot was said to have housed millions of dollars of garments intended to be exported to Western companies. Over the past 10 years, Bangladesh’s garment industry flourished to become the world’s second largest exporter of clothing. Unfortunately, such industrial fires are not quite infrequent. A need for enforcing safety regulations is felt. As per the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense, more than 21,000 fire-related incidents took place in 2020.

We extend our deepest condolences and prayers to anyone and everyone affected by this tragedy, including the family, friends and loved ones of those who heroically lost their lives. As an organization that strives to enhance the wellbeing of Bangladeshis, HAEFA is planning to train and equip a part of its team members with safety and preventive measures to ensure that industrial workers and people, the foundation of Bangladesh’s growth, are protected.