13 out of 15 oxygen plants in Ctg risky: Fire Service report

Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence has identified 13 out of 15 oxygen factories in the port city as risky due to their inadequate security systems. Of these, 11 factories do not have a fire safety plan in place.

Furthermore, of the 24 off-dock container depots utilised for managing various products exported through Chattogram port, 21 have not implemented any fire safety plans.

On Tuesday, the Fire Service and Civil Defence submitted an investigation report regarding the issue to the Chattogram district administration.

Md Abdul Halim, deputy director of Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence, who is also the coordinator of the investigation team, told The Business Standard, "Following the explosion at the Seema Oxygen Plant in Sitakunda, the Fire Service conducted an investigation into the fire safety systems in the oxygen plants in Chattogram."

He added that the oxygen factories and depot authorities have been urged to promptly adopt fire safety plans and implement them without delay.

On 4 March, a devastating explosion at the Seema Oxygen Factory in Sitakunda killed seven people and injured 25 others.

According to the report, the oxygen factories that do not have a fire safety plan are Linde Bangladesh Limited, Kabir Oxygen Limited, Abul Khair Steel Melting Limited, Associate Oxygen Limited, Golden Oxygen Limited, Master Steel & Oxygen, Brothers Oxygen Limited, Sheetalpur Oxygen, Regal Oxygen, Manti Steel & Oxygen and Oxyco Ltd.

The only two risk-free oxygen factories are GPH Oxygen Limited and BSRM Oxygen Reservoir, the report found.

Mohammad Abdul Hamid Miah stated that if the management of the factories at risk fail to implement fire safety plans as soon as possible, the district administration will take necessary action against them.

When questioned about the absence of a fire safety plan, Imrul Quader Bhuiyan, senior manager (administration) of Abul Khair Steel Mill, responded, "We have already submitted an application for the implementation of a fire safety plan in our oxygen factory. We are hopeful that we will receive approval soon."

"Nonetheless, despite the absence of a fire safety plan, our factory is equipped with water reservoirs, fire hydrant systems, and advanced fire safety equipment," he said.

Nazim Uddin, managing director of Shitalpur Oxygen Plant, said that his factory has been shut for over a year now because of the discontinuation of ship imports caused by the economic crisis. Therefore, the safety plan could not be renewed.

Meanwhile, of the 24 container depots in Chattogram, only 14 have fire safety plans in place. But only three have implemented them. Moreover, the fire safety plans of nine container depots are still in the process of being implemented.

According to the report, there are 10 off-dock container depots that have no fire safety plans at all. Of these, four depots have been declared to be at risk. They are Nemsan Container Limited, Esack Brothers Industries Limited, Chattogram Container Transportation Company Limited (Unit-1) and Chattogram Container Transportation Company Limited (Unit-2).

On 4 June 2022, a fire explosion at the BM Depot in Sitakunda claimed the lives of 51 individuals, including 13 fire service personnel. The incident also left over 200 people, including members of the fire service and police, injured.

On 11 March this year, a fire broke out at the warehouse of Unitex Spinning Mill Limited, located near Nemson Container Depot in Chattogram. It left 2,700 tonnes of imported cotton destroyed.

Nurul Qayyum Khan, president of the Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association, said, "While the depots are operated in compliance with various conditions, there are still several shortcomings."

However, he expressed the hope that the depots will adhere to the new instructions of the Fire Service.

Abul Bashar Mohammad Fakhruzzaman, deputy commissioner of Chattogram, said that factories which fail to meet all the specified conditions within the given time will be shut down.