2 fires at gas pumps, 9 injured including burns
A fire broke out at an LPG gas pump in the Kalatali area of Cox’s Bazar town. 9 people were injured including burns. The two incidents occurred at 9:30 pm and 10:30 pm on Wednesday (February 25).
The duty doctor at Cox’s Bazar Sadar Hospital said that 6 of them were sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital in critical condition.
Cox’s Bazar Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md. Chamiuddin confirmed the information about the fire but could not provide any details.
Eyewitnesses said that the first fire broke out at N Alam LPG gas pump at 9:30 pm yesterday. Although the fire was brought under control after half an hour of efforts, another explosion suddenly occurred at the gas pump at 10:30 pm. This spread the fire to the surrounding area. In a moment, the fire took a terrible turn. The poisonous gas spread over an area of several kilometers. On the other hand, the army had to work hard to prevent the crowd of curious people at the fire site. In addition, vehicle movement has also been stopped.
Before evening, when a sudden gas leakage occurred at this gas pump, the matter was reported to the fire service. Then the administration asked people to leave the scene and not to set fire. It was seen at the scene that the gas from the pump had spread to different parts of the city, which created panic among the people. Several settlements adjacent to the pump were also burnt in the fire. Panic spread throughout the area immediately after the incident. The army is working at the scene to ensure security and avoid the crowd of curious people.
Although 4 units of the fire service and 2 teams including 2 water browsers of the army brought the fire under control at around 12:30 am, panic still prevails in the area. However, no statement has been received from the fire service authorities in this regard yet. So far, at least 9 people have been injured in the incident, including those who were burnt.
