Armed forces, firefighters continue battle against Ctg EPZ factory inferno
The intensity has decreased from before; the fire is not yet completely under control
Highlights
- Fire broke out at Adam Textile factory on Road-5, CEPZ
- Started around 2:20pm
- Top three floors of a seven-storey building affected
- Fire units from CEPZ, Bandar, KEPZ, and Agrabad responding
- All workers and staff safely evacuated, BEPZA says
- Cause of fire yet to be determined, No casualties reported so far
A massive fire on Thursday (16 October), which engulfed a seven-storeyed factory, named Adams Caps and Textile Limited in Zone 5 of the Chattogram Export Processing Zone (CEPZ), has been raging for over nine hours.
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The fire has yet to be extinguished as of 12:55am on Friday (17 October). A total of 25 firefighting units are continuing their efforts to douse the blaze, according to the Fire service.
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"The intensity has decreased from before. The joint force is working. The fire is not yet completely under control," CEPZ Additional Executive Director (Industrial Relations) Asheq Mohammad Shahadat Hossain told The Business Standard around 12:40am on Friday (17 October).
At around 11:15pm, he said that rain had started and the intensity of the fire had reduced somewhat as all forces worked in coordination. "A small fire had spread to the Al Hamidi factory, owned by the same owner behind the factory that caught fire. However, it has been extinguished."
Around 8:15pm, the CEPZ official said that efforts were being made to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby factories. "Fire Service teams, along with the Air Force and Navy, are working on the site."
Previously, it was assumed that chemicals were stored in the textile factory, and the intensity of the fire has caused the building's walls to collapse.
However, the CEPZ official confirmed there were no chemicals inside the factory, just medical gowns and towels.
A few hundred yards behind the site is another factory owned by the same company, Al Hamidi.
Around 7:00pm, a large van was seen removing goods from that factory. The factory's security guard told TBS that the fire was approaching, so the goods were being moved for safety.
Earlier this evening, SP of Industrial Police Abdullah Al Mahmud claimed there was a chemical store on the fifth floor. "If the fire reaches it, the situation could become catastrophic," he remarked.
All walls on the sixth and seventh floors have collapsed, he had said, adding that the fire then started spreading downward toward.
At around 6:30pm, explosions were heard, which was believed to be coming from air conditioners.
People from surrounding factories have been evacuated, and the area within a few hundred meters has been cleared. Now the entire seven-storey building is ablaze, our correspondent reports from the spot.
According to the Fire Service and Civil Defence, the fire started around 2:20pm.
Upon receiving information, several units from the Agrabad and Port Fire Service, along with the Bangladesh Navy, rushed to the scene and began efforts to bring the blaze under control.
Confirming the incident, Deputy Director of Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence Mohammad Jashim Uddin said the fire spread rapidly and became intense before firefighters could manage to contain it.
At around 5:30pm, a firefighting team from the Bangladesh Air Force joined the efforts as the building was on the verge of collapse.
CEPZ Additional Executive Director Asheq told The Business Standard that a total of 1,050 workers are employed in the factory.
When the fire broke out, the fire alarm went off, and all workers, officers, and employees were able to safely evacuate the premises.
Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) sources also confirmed the evacuation.
A security guard from a neighbouring factory told TBS that production at the burning building used to take place up to the fourth floor, while the upper floors were used as a warehouse.
"At first, we saw the fire and informed the factory workers, who then notified their supervisor. All the workers evacuated safely."
The origin of the fire is yet to be determined.
No casualties have been reported yet.
Fire follows clashes during protest
The fire incident surfaced following violent clashes earlier in the day as thousands of workers from six factories of the Pacific Jeans Group staged a protest over workplace grievances.
Asked whether these incidents where linked anyhow, SP of Industrial Police Abdullah Al Mahmud confirmed that there is no connection between the fire and clashes.
"The clashes earlier erupted in the factories of Pacific Jeans Group and the fire broke out in Adam Textile", he clarified.
