Chinese among 4 burnt in Jhenaidah factory blast

Four people including a Chinese national were burnt critically in an explosion at a factory in Jhenaidah Sadar upazila this morning.

The victims are Frank, 55 a Chinese national, Monir, 31, and Jalal Hossain, 39, locals of the area, and Jobair Hossain, 26, from Dhaka, our local correspondent reports.

Monir worked as a security guard, Jalal as a labourer and Jobair was a caretaker of Taji-Agro-Industry Ltd where a container exploded around 8:30am.

Ajbahar Ali Sheikh, assistant superintendent of Jhenaidah police, confirmed the explosion.

Frank sustained 70 percent burn injuries, Monir 20 percent, Jalal 45 percent, and Jobair 25 percent, said Dr Jahidur Rahman, a surgery consultant at Jhenaidah Sadar Hospital.

They have been referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for better treatment, while Frank was flown by a helicopter due to the severity of his condition.

Meanwhile, the fire caused by the explosion was tamed by fire fighters. The factory incurred damages worth around Tk 1 crore, said Miraj Uddin, station officer of Jhenaidah unit of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence.

The origin of the fire might have been a container explosion, he said.