Death toll from Chattogram salt factory fire rises to 4

The death toll from the fire at Confidence Salt Limited in Chattogram’s Boalkhali upazila has climbed to four after two more injured workers succumbed to severe burn injuries while undergoing treatment at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH).

The latest victims were identified as Ujjal and Nur Nabi. According to the hospital’s Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit, Ujjal died yesterday (19 July), in the intensive care unit (ICU) at around 3pm, while Nur Nabi succumbed to his injuries at around 11pm the same day.

Hospital sources said Ujjal had suffered burns to around 50% of his body along with severe airway injuries. Nur Nabi sustained burns to approximately 60% of his body, and his respiratory tract was also critically damaged.

Earlier, two other injured workers, Mohammad Nurul Alam, 45, of Patiya upazila, and Didarul Alam, 32, of Boalkhali upazila, died at the hospital’s ICU on 16 July night. Didarul had suffered burns to around 95% of his body, while Nurul sustained burns to about 65% of his body. Both had severe airway injuries.

CMCH Director Brig Gen Mohammad Taslim Uddin confirmed the latest deaths to The Business Standard.

He said Mahmudul Haque remains in the hospital’s ICU with burns to around 60% of his body and severe airway injuries.

Three other injured workers, Liton, who sustained 40% burns, Jahed, with 35% burns, and Selim, who suffered 20% burns were transferred to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka for advanced treatment. All three also sustained serious airway injuries and remain under intensive care.

The fire broke out on the morning of 16 July at Confidence Salt Limited in the West Gomdandi area of Boalkhali while welding work was being carried out in the generator room during generator replacement, apparently following a short circuit.

According to the company, production at the factory had remained suspended for the past week due to a shortage of raw materials, and maintenance work was underway at the time of the incident. Most of the injured workers were employed by a contractor responsible for the welding work rather than being permanent employees of the factory.