Six die in Chawkbazar plastic factory fire

At least six people died in a fire that broke out at a three-storey plastic factory in Chawkbazar area of Dhaka on Monday. Further details including identities of the deceased could not be known immediately, Anwarul Islam, inspector of Fire Service and Civil Defence said.

The fire that broke out at the three-storey plastic factory around 12 pm at the factory brought under control around 2:20pm, Anwarul Islam said.

On receipt of information, a total of 10 firefighting units rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control, said Anwarul Islam, also in-charge of the media cell of the Fire Service and Civil Defense headquarters.

10 units worked to douse the fire, said Fire Service Media Officer Shahjahan Shikder. The Fire Service was called at 12pm, and the first unit reached the spot at 12:09pm, he added.

At first 6 units were sent to bring the fire under control, later the number of units was increased, the Fire Service official further said. 

Lieutenant Colonel Zillur Rahman, director of operations and maintenance said that the fire started from the ground floor of a hotel near the factory.

“I heard that the fire started due to a gas cylinder explosion. The actual cause can be determined after investigation,” he added. 

There was a restaurant on the ground floor of the 4-story building in which the factory was situated. The fire started after a cylinder exploded. There are other plastic, polythene, and chemical factories nearby, so the overall situation is critical, the Fire Service said. 

It also added that the building, just as most buildings in the area, wasn’t built following safety regulations. 

Locals said that a cylinder exploded in the restaurant on the ground floor of the building the factory is situated in; the plastic factory caught fire from there. The fire was brought under control at 2:20pm, the Fire Service said.