10 workers burnt in Ctg salt factory fire, 8 critical

A fire at the Confidence Salt factory in Chattogram’s Boalkhali upazila left 10 workers with burn injuries on Thursday, with eight of them in critical condition due to severe burns and inhalation injuries.

All injured workers were admitted to the burn unit of Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) around 11:00am on 16 July.

Sub-Inspector Alauddin of the CMCH police outpost said the workers suffered burns while working at the factory in the West Gomdandi area of Boalkhali municipality.

Hospital sources said Didarul Alam, 32, suffered the most severe injuries, with 95 percent flame burns and inhalation injuries. Mohammad Alam, 45, suffered 65 percent burns; Mahamudul Haque, 45, 60 percent; Ujjal Das, 53, 50 percent; Nur Nabi, 25, 45 percent; Mohammad Liton, 28, 40 percent; Mohammad Zahid Hossain, 38, 35 percent; and Selim Uddin, 30, 20 percent burns, all accompanied by inhalation injuries.

Zahidul Alam, 42, and Sirajul Islam, 34, suffered 10 percent flame burns each, with doctors suspecting inhalation injuries.

Dr Mohammad S Khaled, head of the CMCH Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit, said eight patients remained in critical condition as all of them had suffered airway injuries.

“We received 10 patients around 10:30am. Two of them had minor burns and were released after treatment, while the remaining eight were admitted,” he said.

He said the admitted patients suffered burns ranging from 20 percent to 95 percent, along with inhalation injuries that could worsen their condition.

“When the face, throat and chest are affected, the lungs can also suffer damage. Such patients may suddenly deteriorate after two or three days,” he added.

Dr Khaled said the exact cause of the fire could not yet be confirmed, adding that a cylinder explosion, generator explosion or another type of blast might have caused the incident.

He said a five-bed ICU facility had recently been opened at the hospital, and authorities were preparing to shift the four most critical patients there. One ICU bed was already occupied, meaning all five beds would now be in use.

Regarding possible transfers to Dhaka, he said no decision had been taken yet.
“We want to provide treatment to all patients here in Chattogram. However, if their relatives want a referral, they have that right,” he said.

Boalkhali Fire Service and Civil Defence official Azharul Islam said they received information about the fire at 10:10am and reached the factory at 10:30am.

“We did not find any active fire when we arrived, but smoke was coming from some burnt papers. Fire service personnel worked for five to seven minutes before leaving the scene,” he said.

He added that factory authorities reported the fire started from an electrical short circuit.
Fire Service officials and relevant authorities are investigating the cause of the incident and assessing the extent of the damage.