Narayanganj factory fire still raging, toll rises to 3
At least three people were killed and 25 others injured as a massive fire broke out at Shezan Juice Factory of Hashem Foods Ltd. in Bhulta Karnagop area of Rupganj in Narayanganj on Thursday afternoon, reports news agency UNB.
Immediately after the incident, two deceased were identified as factory workers Mina Akhter, 40, and Shapna Rani.
Later, another worker, Mursalin, 22, who jumped from the third floor, succumbed to his injuries at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) around 11:00pm.
The fire broke out at the 7-storey building around 5:00pm Thursday. Eighteen units of firefighters are still struggling to contain it, said duty officer of the fire service control room Kamrul Ahsan.
Ten of the injured were sent to the DMCH and 16 admitted to Rupganj US Bangla Medical College and Hospital, said the hospital authorities.
Md Shahadat Hossain, a duty physician of the US Bangla Medical College, confirmed the deaths of two workers.
Some of the injured admitted to the DMCH was identified as Nahid, 23, Monjurul Islam, 25, Mohasin Hossain, 32, Abu Bakar Siddique, 40, Amena Begum, 32, Fatema Akhter, 23, Mohasin, 27 and Mazeda, 28.
Bachchu Mia, inspector in-charge of DMCH police camp, said three of the injured were shifted to the hospital’s Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute as they were having breathing problems caused by smoke.
Abu Bakar Siddique, one of the injured, said, “We sustained injuries as we jumped in a hurry to get out of the building.”
Narayanganj fire service deputy director Md. Abdul Al Arefin said they heard that the fire broke out during a welding accident.
“An investigation is needed to find out the reason to know actually what caused the fire”, he said.