20191216 Fire-ravaged Gazipur fan factory operated without permission
Bangladesh Dec 16 2019 “Factories”
Dead : dead more than 10 Burnout : 1 to 29 Injured : injured 1 to 9
Fire-ravaged Gazipur fan factory operated without permission
Updated: 2019–12–17
A fan factory in Gazipur, which was ravaged by a devastating fire, had been operating wihtout proper authorisation.
The authorities made the disclosure after inspecting the site on Monday, a day after 10 people were killed in the blaze.
The factory owners also failed to obtain a fire licence while the premises lacked adequate fire safety measures, according to the Fire Service and Civil Defence.
The bodies of the 10 victims were identified and handed over to their loved ones on Monday.
Two others were injured in the fire that broke out on the second floor of Rouza High-tech’s three-storey ‘Luxury Fan’ factory in the Sadar Upazila’s Kashorita.
The factory authorities did not obtain any permit from the Department of Inspection of Factories and Establishment, said the department’s Joint Director General Farid Ahmed.
They rented a local building and carried out operations at great risk under a tin shed on the second floor.
“No rules were followed in setting up the factory. They didn’t even apply to the factory authority for permission,” said Farid.
Pranay Bhushan Das, resident physician at the Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College Hospital, said the bodies were transferred to the families after identification.
The district administration and the factory owners have given each of the families Tk 25,000 and Tk 20,000 respectively, according to Gazipur Deputy Commissioner SM Tarikul Islam. The labour ministry would give them Tk 50,000 each, he said.
Besides the district administration’s investigation committee on the incident, the fire service has constituted a committee to find out the cause of the fire, Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General Md Sazzad Hussain said.
Kamal Hossain, the father of victim Rashedul Islam, started a case against five owners and two executives of the factory, Joydebpur Police Station OC Jabedul Islam said.
Web Source: The Nation