Ten Workers Burned in Chattogram Factory Fire

Ten workers suffered burn injuries after a fire broke out at a salt factory in Boalkhali Upazila of Chattogram on Thursday (16 July), with six of the victims reported to be in critical condition. The injured were rescued from the scene and admitted to the Burn Unit and other relevant wards of Chattogram Medical College Hospital, where they are receiving treatment.

The incident occurred at the Confidence Salt Factory in the Banu Member Tek area of West Gomdandi under Boalkhali Municipality. According to preliminary information provided by police, welding work was underway inside the factory when a short circuit triggered a fire. The flames quickly spread to a nearby pile of paper, causing the blaze to intensify within moments and trapping workers who were carrying out their duties nearby.

The injured have been identified as Didarul Alam, 32, son of Ruhul Amin from Boalkhali; Ujjal Das, 53, son of Biraj Mohan Das from Rangunia; Mohammad Liton, 28, son of Abul Kalam from Sadarghat; Sirajul Islam, 34, son of Chhale Ahmed from Lohagara; Jahidul Alam, 42, son of the late Aminul Haque from Raozan; Mohammad Jahid Hossain, 38, son of Mohammad Ibrahim from Boalkhali; Noor Nabi, 25, son of Noor Chhapa from Boalkhali; Mohammad Alam, 45, son of the late Sirajul Islam from Patiya; Mahamudul Haque, 45, son of Khayer Ahmed from Patiya; and Selim Uddin, 30, son of Altaj Mia from Chandanaish.

Co-workers and local residents responded immediately after the fire broke out and assisted in rescuing the injured before they were transported to Chattogram Medical College Hospital. Medical teams provided emergency treatment on arrival, while those with extensive burn injuries were transferred to specialised care for close observation. Hospital authorities continue to monitor the condition of all ten patients.

Nurul Alam Ashik, Officer-in-Charge of the police outpost at Chattogram Medical College Hospital, confirmed that all ten burn victims had been brought to the hospital for treatment. He said six of them had sustained severe burns and remained in critical condition, while the others were receiving appropriate medical care.

Boalkhali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Mozaffar Hossain said the initial findings indicate that the fire originated from an electrical short circuit during welding operations. The flames spread rapidly after reaching a nearby stack of paper, resulting in multiple workers being burned before the fire was brought under control.

Industrial fires remain a serious safety concern in Bangladesh, particularly in workplaces where welding equipment, electrical systems and combustible materials are present in close proximity. Workplace safety specialists have long stressed the importance of maintaining electrical installations, following fire safety procedures and ensuring that adequate firefighting equipment is readily available. The latest incident has once again highlighted the need for strict compliance with occupational safety standards to reduce the risk of similar accidents and better protect industrial workers.