ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday expressed grief and sorrow over the tragic fire incident at a container depot in Bangladesh.
“Sad to hear about the loss of precious lives in the fire incident,” the prime minister said in a tweet.
“My heartfelt condolences and most sincere sympathies are with the government and people of Bangladesh,” Sharif said.
Sad to hear about the loss of precious lives in a fire incident in Bangladesh. My heartfelt condolences & most sincere sympathies are with the government and people of Bangladesh.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) June 6, 2022
Firefighters in Bangladesh battled for a third day on Monday to stamp out a massive fire that killed 41 people at a container depot in an incident that spotlights the South Asian nation’s poor safety record.
Drone footage showed thick columns of smoke and rows of burnt-out containers as Saturday’s fire persisted after a huge blast and shipping container explosions at Sitakunda, 40 km (25 miles) from the southeastern port city of Chittagong.
The fire has been largely reined in but not entirely extinguished, as containers nearby loaded with chemicals pose a risk of life-threatening explosions, fire officials said.
Officials revised the death toll down to 41 from 49, with more than 200 injured. The tally included at least nine dead firefighters, while 10 policemen were among the 50 rescue officials injured, said city police official Alauddin Talukder.
More deaths are feared, however, as some of the injured are in critical condition, said Chittagong doctor Mohammed Elias Hossain.
— With Reuters
