20230815 Death toll in Keraniganj factory fire hits five. All of them were members of a family
Bangladesh Aug 15 2023 “Building” “Factories”
Dead : dead 5 to 9 Burnout : 1 to 29 Injured : injured 1 to 9
Death toll in Keraniganj factory fire hits five. All of them were members of a family
Updated: 2023-08-15
Sohag Mia, 32, died at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka on Wednesday. He was a native of Kalindi Union, said Bachchu Mia, chief of the Dhaka Medical College police outpost.
The other victims of the incident were Sohag’s wife Mina Akter, 22, their one-and-a-half-year-old daughter Tawaiba Akter, his sister-in-law Jasmine Akter, 30, and her daughter Tisha, 15. They all worked in the factory and lived nearby.
Tanha Akter, another daughter of Sohag and Mina, has been undergoing treatment at the institute for burn injuries.
The fire broke out around 4 am on Tuesday at Godarbag in Keraniganj, according to Fire Service Control Room officer Khaleda Yasmin.
A total of six firefighting units doused the fire around 6:15 am, she said. Three bodies were recovered after the blaze was tamed.
A fourth person later died while undergoing treatment at the hospital, said Md Kajal Mia, senior station officer at Keraniganj Fire Service.
“The fire broke out at the factory in the early morning. Some locals came to our office and informed us. When we reached the factory, the blaze became severe. After we tamed the flames, the charred bodies of Mina, Tisha, and Tawaiba were recovered,” said Md Kajal Mia.
“Jasmine was rescued with injuries and admitted to Sir Salimullah Medical College Hospital, where she succumbed to her burn injuries.”
“We believe the fire started due to an electric short circuit. We don’t yet know the name of the factory.”
Fire service official Khaleda also said a firefighter was injured while attempting to tame the blaze.
At least three families live in the houses adjacent to the tin-roof factory, which burned to ash after the blaze. Chemical substances found on the grounds of the damaged factory are also spreading a noxious smell.
The factory is owned by Tutul Mia, a trader from Old Dhaka’s Churihatta. He also owns the houses and rents them to people around the factory, according to local residents.
Sohag was a staff member at Tutul’s shop. He, along with his family, was living as a tenant in two houses near the factory.
Keraniganj Fire Service Inspector Md Hanif also confirmed the identity of factory owner Tutul. He said the initial report suggests the owner had no approval to operate the facility, accusing him of illegally storing chemicals in the region.
Dhaka Deputy Commissioner Anisur Rahman, accompanied by Keraniganj’s Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Faisal Bin Karim and local police station chief Mamunur Rashid, visited the scene after the incident. Anisur pledged assistance and aid to people affected by the fire, providing Tk 25,000 to each victim’s family and Tk 15,000 to the injured.
Web Source: BDNews24