Tongi boiler explosion toll hits 31 deaths

MNA National Desk: A fire visibly triggered by a boiler explosion at a packaging factory in Tongi so far killed at last 31 people and injured 100, reported news agency.

Gazipur fire service and civil defence deputy assistant director Akhtaruzzaman said 17 died at the scene at Tampaco Foils Limited at BSCIC industrial estate of Tongi.

And the rest eight succumbed to their wounds at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and other health facilities including Tongi Government Hospital, Uttara Adhunik Medical College Hspital and Kurmitola Medical College Hospital.

Fire officials said about 25 units of theirs from different fire stations were engaged to extinguish the fire and rescue the victims.

However, the fire spread across the five-storey factory building of Tampaco Foils Ltd after a boiler exploded around 6am on Saturday.