10 workers injured in fire at Ctg salt factory

At least 10 workers suffered burn injuries in a fire at a salt factory in Boalkhali upazila of Chattogram on Thursday morning.

The fire broke out around 10:30 am at the Confidence Salt Factory in the West Gomdandi area of Boalkhali municipality.

All 10 injured workers were admitted to Chattogram Medical College Hospital, said Alauddin Talukder, a sub-inspector at the hospital police outpost. Five to six of the victims are in critical condition and are undergoing treatment.

The injured were identified as Didarul Alam, 32; Ujjal Das, 53; Mohammad Liton, 28; Sirajul Islam, 34; Jahidul Alam, 42; Mohammad Jahid Hossain, 38; Nur Nabi, 25; Mohammad Alam, 45; Mahmudul Haque, 45; and Selim Uddin, 30.

According to hospital sources, Didarul sustained burns over 95% of his body, while Mohammad Alam suffered 65% burns, Mahmudul Haque 60%, Ujjal Das 50%, Nur Nabi 45%, Liton 40%, Jahidul Alam 35%, Selim Uddin 20%, and Sirajul Islam and Mohammad Jahid Hossain 10% each.

Boalkhali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mozaffar Hossain said outside workers were carrying out welding work inside the factory when a short circuit allegedly ignited a machine and nearby paper materials, triggering the fire.

Boalkhali Fire Service leader Azaharul Islam said firefighters responded after receiving a call at 10:10 am, but factory workers had already extinguished the blaze before they arrived.

They found only burnt paper at the scene.