Dhaka – At least 24 people, mostly workers, were killed and many others injured after a boiler explosion-triggered fire cause collapse of the building near Bangladeshi capital Dhaka on Saturday, officials said.

The tragedy occurred at Tampaco Foils factory in Tongi industrial area of central Gazipur district. The factory is located some 20 kilometers north of Dhaka.

Officials at Dhaka Medical College Hospital said that they received 24 bodies that the rescuers pulled from inside the derbies of the collapsed four-storey building.

The deceased were identified as Al Mamun, Moinuddin, Rozina, Saidur Rahman, Hasan Siddique, Solaiman, Enamul Haque, Abdur Rashed, Gopal Das, Shahnkar Sarker, Mamun, Idris Ali, Jahangir Alam, Aminur Rahman, Abdul Hannan, Miza and Wali Hossain. Bodies of those victims were sent to Tongi General Hospital to DMCH in the evening.

Victims of explosion-triggered fire at a factory in Tongi are being taken to hospital

Earlier, the hospital received bodies of Subhas Chandra, Rafiqul Islam, Atik Mia, Dilip Das, Ripon Das, Shah Alam and Russel.

More than 100 people are believed injured in the morning explosion.

The firefighters have managed to bring the fire under control, but they will need few more hours to douse it completely to begin a search inside the collapsed building, SM Alam, deputy commissioner of the district, said.

He however said that the rescuers pulled 23 bodies from inside the derbies.

“It is believed that the firefighter would be able to enter into the building after 12 am,” the DC said.

A doctor at a local hospital earlier said 17 bodies had been brought to Tongi General Hospital mortuary. Two more bodies were sent to the hospital later while more than 50 survivors were being treated at the hospital.

Twenty-two workers who suffered injuries were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Five of them died at the hospital, said physician Partha Sarkar Pal.

Television footage showed the firefighters still trying to get into the collapsed four-storey building. Black smoke filled the area around the building.

Twelve hours after the explosion firefighters were still fighting to bring the flames under control, said Rafiquzzaman. He said that the chemicals piled up in the factory for production had caused the fire to spread more easily.

The Tampaco Foils factory produces packaging for tobacco and other consumer products. British American Tobacco and Nestle are among its clients, as posted on the website of the company.

Accidents in Bangladeshi factories, which mostly produce clothing, packaging and textiles, are common thanks to lax implementation of regulations.

A fire at Tazreen Fashion factory in late 2012 killed at least 112 workers. More than 1,100 people were killed and 2,500 injured after the collapse of the Rana Plaza building which housed five garment factories on April 24, 2013.

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