Flames tear through the seven-storey factory building of Adams Caps at the Chattogram EPZ on Thursday night. The massive blaze that broke out at around 2:20pm continued burning into the night. — FE photo CHATTOGRAM, Oct 16: A fierce fire burnt down a multi-storey apparel-factory building in the Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) Thursday, barely two days after a tragic garment blaze in Dhaka.
The fire erupted at around 2:20pm from the top floor of the seven-storey building housing a factory named Adams Caps and Textile Limited in Zone 5 of the export-industry hub. The fire engulfed the entire building when the latest update came at night. Firefighters have expressed fear that the building might collapse anytime.
Upon receiving information, 17 units from Agrabad and Port Fire Service stations, along with the Bangladesh Navy, rushed in to bring the blaze under control.
At 6:20pm, two platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) also joined the fight against the blaze.
Deputy Director of Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence Mohammad Jashim Uddin said the fire spread fast and became intense before firefighters made efforts to put it out.
Around 5:30pm, a firefighting team from Bangladesh Air Force also joined the fire combat.
Superintendent of Industrial Police Abdullah Al Mahmud said, "There is a chemicals store on the fifth floor. If the fire reaches there, the situation could become catastrophic."
All walls on the sixth and seventh floors collapsed, and the fire started spreading downward, he added.
And eventually the flames spread through all the floors of the factory.
Sources say the factory makes hospital equipment and towels.
The fire spread quickly and was very intense due to the large amount of inflammable materials in the go-downs.
Officer-in-Charge of the CEPZ Police Station Mohammad Jamir Hossain Zia said there were warehouses on the seventh and eighth floors, and the fire broke out there.
"However, there was no news of anyone hurt," he said.
CEPZ Additional Executive Director (Industrial Relations) Asheq Mohammad Shahadat Hossain said a total of 1,050 workers were employed in the factory.
When the fire broke out, the fire alarm went off, and all employees were able to safely evacuate the premises, as fire-safety compliance saved lives.
The teams of Fire Service, Bangladesh Navy, police and BGB were working to get to grips with the raging fire till filing of the report.
There was no report of any casualty till then.
Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) sources also confirmed the evacuation.
The origin of the fire was yet to be determined.
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