Family members of missing persons gathered outside the Gazi Tyre Factory in Narayanganj as a deadly fire broke out and burned the factory structures on Monday afternoon, prompting the fire service to contain the fire and compile a list of all those unaccounted for.
As of 6pm on Monday, twelve fire fighting units were battling the fire at the six-storey building owned by former lawmaker Gazi Golam Dastagir, which had erupted at around 10:30pm on Sunday. Later, Lt Col Md Rezaul Karim, director (training, planning and improvement) of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) headquarters, said the fire-fighters managed to bring the fire under control at around 7:05pm on Monday.
Fire service was alerted of the blaze at around 10:35pm on Sunday by local residents, and units from Demra, Kanchpur, Adamjee EPZ, and Kanchan Fire Stations were deployed to the scene. Many people remain trapped inside the building.
Fire Service has stated that they do not have any missing persons list, and so far, no casualties have been reported. Regarding the lengthy time taken to extinguish the fire, they explained that due to the presence of flammable materials like raw materials for tire manufacturing, rubber, and chemicals, the fire spread rapidly, making it difficult to bring under control.
Local residents have expressed grave concerns, claiming that between 400 to 500 people might have been trapped inside the factory. Families of the missing have listed the names of at least 160 people who are unaccounted for, heightening the urgency of the rescue operations.
According to Lt Col Karim, fire services received information about the fire within five minutes of it starting. However, the intensity of the blaze, fuelled by flammable materials such as rubber and tyres, has made it extremely difficult to contain.
In response to the severity of the fire, five additional firefighting units were deployed, bringing the total to 12 units with 120 firefighters working tirelessly to douse the flames, said Lt Col Karim, during a media briefing on Monday morning. He added that 14 people have been rescued from the factory so far.
In response to questions about creating a list of missing persons, Lt Col Md Rezaul Karim emphasised that the Fire Service's primary focus is on controlling the blaze, not compiling lists. He mentioned that 14 people have been rescued so far, with some receiving first aid and being reunited with their families. He also clarified that the Fire Service does not usually create missing persons lists during fire incidents.
When asked about the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage, he said that these details would only be confirmed after a thorough investigation.
Local residents reported that a celebratory procession was held in the Rupsi area after news broke that Dastagir had been placed on a six-day remand. The procession reportedly escalated when a group stormed the factory, looting machinery and furniture. Shortly afterwards, around 9pm, miscreants allegedly set fire to the ground floor of the factory, triggering the massive blaze. During the fire, over a hundred people reportedly became trapped while attempting to loot the premises.
