Explosion in oxygen refilling plant leaves 5 dead in Bangladesh

An explosion occurred Saturday afternoon in an oxygen refilling plant at Sitakunda on the outskirts of Bangladesh's southeastern Chattogram city, leaving at least five people dead and dozens others injured, reported Xinhua.

The explosion took place during refilling of oxygen cylinders at the plant of Sheema Automatic Re-Rolling Mills Limited. More than 200 people were working at the plant at the time of the explosion, which was followed by a fire.

Md Fakhruzzaman, deputy commissioner of Chattogram district, told the media: "The rescuers found five bodies from the site of the blast."

At least 25 people suffered injuries in the explosion, he added.

The fire service department said 10 units of the firefighters brought the flames under control in less than an hour at around 5:40 p.m. local time.

The injured are being treated at Chattogram Medical College Hospital.

TV footage from the incident site showed the blast ripped through metal structures.

A three-member committee has been set up to investigate into the incident.