BM depot fire: Probe report by fire service not filed in two months

• The Chattogram fire service has no information on the investigation's progress
• Its committee members say they are not allowed to speak about the probe 
• Six committees were formed after the accident
• Eight employees of the depot were sued 
• But the owners remained untouched 

The committee formed by the Fire Service and Civil Defence could not submit its report on fire and subsequent explosions at the privately-run BM Container Depot in Chattogram's Sitakunda even though two months have gone past after the incident that killed at least 51 people and injured over 200. 

The Chattogram fire service that lost 13 of its workers in the fire incident does not even have any information on the investigation's progress.

Following the tragic incident that took place on 4 June, the Directorate of Fire Service and Civil Defence formed a seven-member probe body to ascertain the cause of the fire and the extent of damages.  The committee, headed by Fire Service and Civil Defense Director (Training, Planning and Development) Lt Col Rezaul Karim, had been asked to submit its report within five working days. Assistant Director (Chattogram) Anisur Rahman was made member secretary of the committee. 

Abdul Momin, committee member and deputy principal of Fire Service and Civil Defense Training Complex, told The Business Standard, "We have completed our investigation. But we are not allowed to talk about it except our director general." 

Seeking anonymity, a fire service official told TBS, "The investigation report has been submitted to the director general's office before Eid-ul-Azha. Most of the committee members are from Dhaka and they have prepared the report. So, it is not clear what is in the report to any official in Chattogram."

The committee also includes Trainer of Fire Service and Civil Defence Training Complex Shams Arman, Senior Station Officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence Station of Savar EPZ Zahirul Islam, and Warehouse Inspector of Chittagong Station of Directorate of Fire Service and Civil Defense Md Omar Faruq.

The committee head and its member secretary could not be contacted for comments over the phone.

Senior Staff Officer (Media Cell) of Fire Service and Civil Defence Media Branch Shah Jahan Shikder told TBS, "We do not have any information about the submission of the investigation report. Such a report is submitted directly to the home ministry."

However, Additional Secretary (Fire Division) Mosammat Shahnara Khatun said, "We do not know whether the report has been submitted. If it is with the secretary, it will be informed."

The fire started at the BM Container Depot, some 20 kilometres north off the Chattogram port, at about 9:25pm on 4 June before unauthorised hydrogen peroxide stored in some containers exploded. The fire was doused on 8 June.

Following the fire incident, six probe bodies were formed by different authorities. The Divisional Commissioner's Office in Chattogram and Chattogram Port published the probe reports of their respective committees.  They cited the negligence of the owners as well as the management authority of the BM Container Depot as the reason behind the fire accident.

They also blamed Al Razi Chemical Complex Limited, a sister concern of the depot owner Smart Group of Industries, who owned the hydrogen peroxide-laden containers kept in the depot.

The fire started at the BM depot at about 9:25pm on 4 June 4 unauthorised hydrogen peroxide stored in some containers exploded. The fire was doused on 8 June.

Police have so far done nothing but filing a case against eight employees of the depot three days after the fire incident. But the owners of the depot and Al Razi Chemical Complex Limited were spared in the case.  

Chattogram district's Superintendent of Police (SP) SM Rashidul Haque told TBS, "The police investigation is not over yet. After getting the report, will take action will combining it with other reports"