Ashulia: Seven people were killed and 10 others injured in a fire that broke out at a readymade garment factory in Jamgara of Ashulia in Savar on Sunday evening. The injured were admitted to different hospitals, with several reportedly in critical condition. Hafizur Rahman, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defence, Dhaka Zone-4, confirmed the deaths and said four fire service units were working to bring the blaze under control.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the fire was triggered by a gas cylinder explosion as it was being unloaded from a covered van. Five of the deceased were burnt beyond recognition, and their identities have not been established. Among the other two victims, Salma Akter, 30, died on her way to the hospital after being rescued, while Bulbul Islam, 45, succumbed to his injuries while being transported to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Six critically injured individuals were sent to Dhaka for advanced treatment, while four others received care at a local hospital. The fire erupted at the F and F factory of Preeti Group around 6:45 pm, and fire service units arrived at the scene by 8 pm to combat the blaze. Firefighters encountered difficulties due to severe traffic congestion and poor road conditions, exacerbated by ongoing construction work on the Ashulia Elevated Expressway.
Eyewitness Litton Mia, a line man at a nearby garment factory, reported that the fire spread through the factory following the loud explosion of the gas cylinder. Harun-or-Rashid, manager of the local Women and Children Hospital, stated that 10 burn patients had been admitted, with six in extremely critical condition transferred to the Burn Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Hemayet, the administrative officer of Preeti Group's F and F factory, asserted that no workers were trapped inside the factory. He confirmed that the fire originated from one corner of the factory's boundary wall due to the gas cylinder explosion. Shahabuddin, senior station officer of Zirabo Fire Service, highlighted the challenges faced by firefighters in reaching the scene due to traffic and road conditions.
Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan, superintendent of Industrial Police-1, confirmed the fatalities and noted that rescue workers struggled to access the entire area because of the intense fire and traffic issues. The fire quickly spread across large sections of the factory, fueled by highly combustible fabrics and chemical substances stored there. As of 12:15 am, the intensity of the fire had decreased, but it was not yet fully under control, according to Fire Service official Shahabuddin.