MOHAMMAD SUMAN, Ctg

Mandatory safety measures like storing chemicals on a separate part of the premises with caution signs were not followed at BM Container Depot.

According to the Dangerous Cargo Act-1953, shipping companies, ports and container depots should store and ship chemicals like hydrogen peroxide separate from other goods. Besides, there should be multiple caution signs.

But firefighters, who have been working at the site since the fire broke out on Saturday night, said they saw no such safety measures there.

According to customs record, there were around 240 tonnes of hydrogen peroxide in 16 containers, waiting to be shipped to Pakistan. These belonged to Al Razi Chemical Complex Limited, which is owned by Mojibur Rahman, the same businessman who owns the depot.

Debasish Palit, a chemistry professor at University of Chattogram, told The Daily Star that if the hydrogen peroxide concentration is 3-10 percent, it is not dangerous. But it could act like an explosive if the concentration is over 30 percent.

The concentration of hydrogen peroxide stored at BM Depot was 50 percent, according to customs document.

Shahidul Islam, senior station officer at Agrabad Fire Service and Civil Defence, said, “Foam should have been used to extinguish the fire on chemicals. But water was being sprayed as there was no indication that there were chemicals in those containers. There was no warning sticker on any of the containers.

“The flames kept spreading and there was an explosion while we were trying put out the fire with water,” he told The Daily Star, adding that the containers with chemicals were kept with containers of other goods.