Bangladesh factory fire death toll rises to 12

Dhaka – The death toll from Wednesday fire at a plastic factory near Dhaka rose to 12 as more workers of the factory succumbed to their injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The fire broke out at Prime Pet and Plastic industries at Chunkutia of Keraniganj, a southern outskirt of the capital Dhaka, leaving one worker dead on the scene and 33 others wounded.

Firefighters rescued the wounded ones and rushed them to the hospital on Wednesday, but 11 of them having severe burns died on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, said Tahmina Sattar, a physician at the Burn and Plastic Surgery unit of the hospital.

Police officer Ramnada Sarker said the workers suffered burns as they tried to douse the flame with fire extinguishers installed inside the one-storey tin-roofed factory building.

He said the fire might have originated from a gas stove. The flame spread quickly as it came in contact with the inflammables being used for plastic products.

Fire Service and Civil Defence department has launched an investigation to determine the reason behind the incident.

A survivor of the fire said nearly 150 people had been working at the plastic producing unit when the fire broke out. Engineers encouraged the workers to start dousing the flame.

The factory produces and exports disposable trays, plates and cups.

State Minister for Power and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid visited the fire ravaged scene on Wednesday night. He told local journalists that the factory was installed illegally.

Deaths from factory fire are frequent in Bangladesh due to lack of fire safety system and lax implementation of law.

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