Ten Labourers Burned in Chittagong Factory Fire; Six Critical

A devastating fire broke out at a salt factory in the Boalkhali upazila of Chittagong on Thursday, leaving at least ten workers severely burned. The condition of six of the injured individuals is reported to be critical. Emergency services and fellow workers rescued the victims from the scene and rushed them to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH), where they have been admitted to the specialised burn unit and related wards for urgent treatment.

The industrial accident took place at the Confidence salt factory, located in the Banu Member Tek area of West Gomdandi under the Boalkhali municipality. According to factory sources and local police, the incident occurred whilst routine maintenance and welding work were being carried out inside the production facility. An electrical short-circuit during the welding process sparked the initial blaze. The fire spread rapidly as sparks landed on a large stack of paper packaging materials stored nearby. The combustible materials ignited within seconds, engulfing the workspace in flames and trapping the labourers before they could escape the unit.

The injured labourers 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; Nur Nabi, 25, son of Nur 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 Altaz Miah from Chandanaish.

Inspector Nurul Alam Ashek, the officer-in-charge of the CMCH police outpost, confirmed the details of the admissions. He stated that all ten individuals suffered varying degrees of burn injuries and are receiving round-the-clock medical care. He added that the high percentage of surface burns on six of the patients means their prognosis remains highly uncertain, and they are currently under close observation by medical specialists.

Mohammad Mozaffar Hossain, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Boalkhali Police Station, explained that the fire was eventually brought under control by factory staff and local residents before it could consume the entire industrial complex. The local police have launched a formal inquiry into the accident. Investigators are looking into whether proper workplace safety protocols were followed during the welding operation and if the factory possessed adequate firefighting equipment to handle electrical fires. Further legal actions will be determined based on the findings of the final investigation report.