Tongi boiler blast death toll reaches 24

The death toll from a boiler explosion at a packaging factory near Tongi Railway Station here climbed to 24, with the death of five more injured people on Saturday morning.

Fifteen of the deceased were identified as Subhas Chandra of Gopalpur upazila in Tangail, Jahangir Alam of Bhola, Hannan of Matlab upazila of Chandpur, Edon of Comilla, Gopal Das and Shangkar of Nababganj, Al Mamun, Rafiqul of Mymensingh, Abdur Rashed, Solaiman, Hossain, Enamul Haque, Anisur Rahman, Moynuddin Ahmed and Saidur Rahman of Sylhet.

Nineteen of the bodies were taken to Tongi 50-Bed Hospital, while the rest seven, including that of a woman, to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), UNB reports.

They said around 70 people were injured in the blast and 18 of them, including three with burn injuries, were admitted to the DMCH.

Fire Service and Civil Defense control room telephone operator Ziaur Rahman said the boiler in the packaging and printing unit of 'Tampako Foil Ltd' housed in a four-storey building exploded with a big bang around 6am.

The steel-framed building collapsed under the tremendous effects of the blaze.

Contacted, officer-in-charge of Tongi Police Station Firoz Talukder said at least 10 people were killed on the spot and 50 suffered injuries in the blast that sparked off a heavy fire.

Sub-inspector Billal Hossain of the police station said five bodies were taken to Tongi General Hospital.

The injured people were whisked off to different local hospitals and clinics.

On information, 20 fire-fighting units from Joydebpur, Tongi, Tajgaon and Sadar rushed in and trying to control the fire.

It was not still clear what caused the blast.

State Minister for Labour and Employment Mujibul Haque Chunnu visited the spot at 12:30pm and announced to give Tk one lakh financial support to each of the families of the deceased.

The junior minister also said those who will be found guilty upon investigation will be punished.

He said the owner and staff of the burnt factory already went into hiding.

Deputy Commissioner SM Alam also announced assistance of Tk 20,000 for each of the families of the deceased and Tk 10,000 for each of the injured.

Meanwhile, Gazipur district administration formed a five-member probe committee, led by Additional District Magistrate Rahenul Islam, to probe the incident.