9 RMG workers killed,8 injured in fire at two buildings in Mirpur

NN ONLINE:

At least nine garment workers have been killed and eight others injured in a devastating fire in two buildings of a garment factory and chemical warehouse at Mirpur in the capital.

Speaking at a press briefing at the site, Fire Service and Civil Defenec (FSCD) Director (Operation and Maintenance) Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury said that they have recovered nine bodies from the first and second floors of the garments factory.

“We suspect that all of them have died after inhaling toxic gas,” he said, adding that the fire fighters are still conducting searches at the garment factory as the blaze was brought under control. But, he alerted everyone to stay at least 300 yards away from the chemical warehouse as chemical is still leaking, which is risky for health.

He said that they are now using human-less machine like Luf 60 to douse the blaze in the chemical factory.   Media officer of the fire service Anwarul Islam said eight persons suffered injuries in the fire. Of the injured three, Md Suruj, 30, Md Mamun, 35 and Sohel 32 were rushed to the National Institute of Burn and Plactic Surgery (NIBPS), resident surgeon Shawon Bin Rahman told BSS.

The fire originated in Anwar Fashion Garments Factory and Shah Alam Chemical Warehouse located in two separate buildings at Sialbari, Rupnagar in Mirpur around 11:40am today, media officer of fire service Talha bin Jasim told BSS.  The two buildings are located side by side in front of Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT) in Rupnagar, he said.

Nine firefighting engines rushed to the spot around 11:56 am and are working to douse the blaze in the buildings, he said. However, the FSCD did not confirm from which building the fire originated and the cause behind the blaze.