Dhaka, Dec 15 – “Ten workers of an electric fan factory died from smoke inhalation,” said Mamunur Rashid, deputy assistant director of Gazipur Fire Service and Civil Defence.
It was the third factory fire incident in the last four days in Dhaka and adjacent areas.
Fire in Bangladeshi factories is quite common during the dry season, mainly because of lax safety measures.
On Thursday, a fire ripped through a plastic factory at Hijaltola of Dhaka’s Keraniganj Upazila claiming 17 lives so far.
In another incident, a foam factory was gutted in the city’s Badda area on Friday night.
Bangladesh witnessed its deadliest factory fire on November 24, 2012. The fire at Tazreen Fashions factory in Ashulia killed more than 100 workers.
A five-member committee was formed to look into the deadly fire at a Gazipur electric fan factory that claimed at least 10 lives at Keshorita of Sadar Upazila on Sunday evening.
Deputy Commissioner SM Tariqul Islam said Additional District Magistrate Shahinur Islam will head the body.
State Minister for Labour and Employment Monnujan Sufian mourned the victims announced Tk 50,000 for families of each deceased worker, the ministry said in a statement.
The money will be paid from the Bangladesh Workers Welfare Foundation Fund.
Lima Khanam, duty officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters, said the fire originated at ‘Luxury Fan Factory’ around 5:52 pm.
Three firefighting units extinguished the blaze around 7:15 pm, she said.
The cause of the fire is still unclear. – UNB
