A suspected chemical explosion sparked a serious fire at a garment factory in the Rupnagar area of Mirpur, Dhaka, which has resulted in at least 16 fatalities, according to the Fire Service and Civil Defence.
They were discovered during search operations in the second and third floors of the four-storey building, according to Fire Service Director (Operation and Maintenance) Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, who was speaking to a media briefing at the scene at around 7 pm.
He stated, “So far, we have recovered 16 bodies. Their faces are completely unrecognisable due to burning. Identification will only be possible through DNA testing.”
As per Talha Bin Zasim, a member of the Fire Service’s media wing, twelve firefighting units are attempting to put out the fire. According to him, the fire began this morning at a pharmaceutical company’s facility. According to the fire department official, the first unit arrived on the scene at 11:56 am after receiving the fire report at 11:40 am.
Preliminary findings suggest that the victims may have become stuck between the second and third floors, according to Lt Col Tajul.
He stated that the roof of the building was made of tin and thatched materials and the rooftop exit was locked with two padlocks. They could not go up, and because of the toxic gas and the flashover (sudden ignition and fire) caused by the chemical explosion, they became unconscious and died instantly.
It progressed into the third stage of the fire’s development. The victims were unable to flee after inhaling the gas and losing consciousness, Tajul said.
Twelve units in all have been operating at the location. “The fire in the adjacent chemical warehouse is still burning, but the fire in the clothing section has been contained,” he said.
He said, “We have not started rescue operations inside the warehouse yet because it is unsafe. We are observing the situation using technology such as loop monitors and drones. The fire there has not been brought under control and it will take more time.”
He claimed that citizens and local employees told them that the warehouse had six to seven different kinds of chemicals.
“We have been informed that among other things, there were hydrogen peroxide, enzymes, bleaching powder, meta potash and salt. Thick smoke is still rising and flames can still be seen inside. It will take time to put an end to this,” he stated.
He also disclosed that there was no fire safety license or clearance for the chemical warehouse or the clothing manufacturer. “We have verified that there was no license, no fire safety plan and no appropriate fire safety measures in place,” he stated.
