Mirpur: The death toll has risen to 16 in the fire as seven more bodies were recovered in a garment factory and an adjacent chemical warehouse in the capital’s Mirpur area.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, fire service spokesman Anwarul Islam reported that the bodies were discovered on the first and second floors of the Anwar Fashion Garments Factory. The fire is suspected to have originated from the adjacent Shah Alam Chemical Warehouse before spreading to the garment factory.
The fire erupted around 11:40 am, prompting the deployment of 12 fire service units in phases to tackle the blaze. “We have extinguished the fire at the garments unit, but efforts are still underway to douse the blaze at the chemical depot,” Islam stated.
Fire officials reported that the rooftop of the four-story garments factory was locked, which prevented victims from escaping to the open air. It is believed that the victims died from inhaling toxic gases emitted by the fire. Initially, nine bodies were recovered from the garments unit, and eight people were rescued with injuries from burns or toxic gas inhalation.
Dr. Shawon Bin Rahman, a resident surgeon at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPS), confirmed that three of the injured-Md Suruj, 30, Md Mamun, 35, and Sohel, 32-are receiving treatment at the facility.
Fire services operations director Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury mentioned that Luf 60 robots are being used to control the chemical warehouse blaze. He cautioned onlookers to maintain a distance of at least 300 yards from the site due to the ongoing emission of chemicals and gas.
The operation is supported by army troops and paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel. Additionally, the police’s criminal investigation department (CID) has dispatched teams to gather evidence from the scene.