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“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.

“We did not find any fire extinguishing equipment at the depot.”

According to the data of National Board of Revenue (NBR), Al Razi Chemical, located at Hathazari in Chattogram, exported around 9,635 tonnes of hydrogen peroxide to 12 countries in recent months using the BN Container Depot.

Most of the consignments were shipped to Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Myanmar, Venezuela, and Singapore.

Mojibur, the owner of the depot, refused to comment on the lack of safety measures when contacted by The Daily Star.

He gave the number of an official of the company, saying that the individual would know better. But that number was found switched off yesterday.

Customs Commissioner M Fokhrul Alam told The Daily Star that a two-member committee was formed to investigate the matter. “If any irregularity is found during the investigation, legal action will be taken.”

According to Chattogram Custom House and Bangladesh Inland Container Depots Association (BICDA), the depot had 1,360 tonnes of goods in 810 containers waiting to be shipped out and 7,500 tonnes of goods in around 500 containers that had been imported.

Between 80 and 90 percent of the goods were damaged, said BICDA Secretary Ruhul Amin Sikder.