The blaze erupted around midday and took firefighters three hours to bring under control. The fire in the chemical warehouse continued to burn hours later, hampering rescue efforts.
Toxic Gas and Locked Exit Prove Fatal
Authorities report that most victims died from inhaling toxic gas, likely released by burning plastic and chemicals from the nearby warehouse. Fire Service Director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury stated the victims died "instantly." Compounding the tragedy, a locked roof door on the four-storey factory trapped workers inside.
Illegal Warehouse Under Scrutiny
The chemical warehouse, which stored highly flammable materials like bleaching powder and hydrogen peroxide, had no fire safety clearance, license, or occupancy certificate. Police are now searching for the owners of both buildings as investigations into the cause of the fire and alleged safety violations intensify.
A Grim History of Industrial Disasters
This incident echoes Bangladesh’s tragic history of industrial accidents. In 2021, a factory fire killed 52, and the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse, the country's deadliest industrial disaster, killed over 1,100 garment workers.
As families desperately search for missing loved ones and await DNA confirmation of the charred remains, the tragedy underscores the persistent and deadly issue of inadequate safety standards in the country’s vital garment industry.
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