Massive fire breaks out at garment factory and chemical warehouse in Dhaka, 16 workers burned alive

New Delhi. A major accident occurred in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, on Tuesday. At least 16 workers were killed and several others injured in a fire that broke out at a four-story garment factory and a nearby chemical warehouse.

According to Fire Service and Civil Defense official Talha Bin Jasim, the fire started in the chemical warehouse and spread to other factories. The fire first broke out at the Shah Alam Chemical Warehouse and then reached the Enar Fashion Garments Factory.

Fire Service spokesperson Anwarul Islam said, “During the search operation, 16 bodies were recovered from the garment factory alone. The fire has been extinguished, but the fire is still raging in the chemical warehouse.”

Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, Director of the Fire Service and Civil Defense, stated that the condition of the bodies was so dire that identification would only be possible through DNA testing. The bodies have been sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

He also stated that all the deceased likely died from inhaling toxic gas. Chowdhury stated, “We suspect the fire started with a chemical explosion, which spread the toxic gas, killing many people instantly.”

People were trapped on the second and third floors.
The deceased were trapped between the second and third floors. The building’s roof was made of tin and thatch, and the roof vent was locked with two locks. The toxic gas and flashover caused people to faint and die instantly. Chowdhury stated that six to seven types of chemicals were stored in the chemical warehouse, and entering it is still extremely dangerous. Technology such as drones and loop monitors are being used for the rescue operation.

Yunus issued instructions to officials.
Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus expressed deep sorrow over the incident and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. He directed officials to investigate and provide necessary assistance to the affected families. The fire service reported that the fire was reported at 11:40 am and teams arrived at the scene at 11:56 am. Twelve firefighting units attempted to control the fire.