BA factory fire in Bangladesh killed at least 52 people. On Thursday, a fire broke out in a beverage and food factory in Rupuganj, Narayanganj district, near the capital Dhaka. The Dhaka Tribune reported on its website that as of Friday afternoon, rescuers had recovered 49 bodies from the fourth floor of the building. Earlier, the three died from their injuries after jumping out of the factory while trying to escape the fire. In addition, 50 people were said to have been injured. Some of them also tried to escape the flames by jumping from higher floors.
Allegedly, a fire broke out on the ground floor of the six-story building around 5 pm on Thursday. Due to the chemicals and plastic bottles stored there, the fire apparently spread very quickly. It continued to burn for 24 hours after the eruption. Rescuers worry that more dead may be found in the burning building. According to the report, the authorities knew the names of at least 44 missing persons. According to a report from an agency, there were even 1,000 employees in the factory when the fire broke out. But many people could have escaped by breaking the lock on the entrance door. The fourth floor is also locked, and many people are trapped there.
Protest of angry relatives
A group of people have gathered in front of the factory since Thursday night. Among them were many relatives of the missing, and they were probably locked in a burning building. Angry relatives protested, during which a highway was occupied. On Friday morning, the police clashed with the police. Some vehicles were damaged. The police used tear gas on the people. Angry relatives accused Hashim Foods of blocking the factory’s front door, making it the only escape route for the factory. They also criticized the lack of fire protection measures.
Factory worker Mohammad Saiful told AFP that dozens of people were trapped in the factory. “On the third floor, the doors of both stairs are closed. A colleague said there were 48 people there. I don’t know what happened to them.” In Bangladesh, due to the lack of preventive measures and the cramped conditions of factories and residential areas , Catastrophic accidents happen again and again. In February 2019, a fire broke out in the historic district of Dhaka, killing 70 people. The Rana Plaza textile factory collapsed in April 2013, killing more than 1,100 people.
