Fire guts garment factory in city, six injured
Sunday, 8 July 2007
A big garment factory burned down in a terrible fire at Malibagh Chowdhurypara apparel hub in the capital Saturday, as a combined combat proved futile in controlling the blaze, reports UNB.
Officials and witnesses said six people, including two firefighters, were injured while trying to douse the flames, which reduced to wrecks the industrial unit's main components on the two top floors of the factory building.
The fire, spewing out "fierce heat", damaged knitwear, swing-machines and valuables of the Envoy Garments Ltd housed in a five-storey building owned by Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA)'s ex-president Kutubuddin, the sources said.
Factory officials said the fire might have originated from electric short circuit from the finishing section on the 3rd floor of the building, in an area having a high concentration of the export industry. The vital parts of the factory on the 3rd and 4th floors went up in flames.
An official of the factory said the finishing section on the 3rd floor and the swing section on the 4th were "completely damaged" in the fire, which broke out at about 5:10 pm. However, estimated damages could not be ascertained immediately.
Several units of fire brigade rushed in at about 5:30 pm and brought the blaze under control with the help of factory workers at about 6:00 pm.
Official sources said some 300 workers were working in the factory building. "Sensing the fire incident, the factory workers managed to climb down the building through the emergency exit and the main staircase," said an eyewitness account.
Inmates of the two nearby residential buildings were evacuated to avert any risk.
"Army men from a local camp and police rushed in and controlled the mob to help the rescue operation, as crowds thronged the scene," said a spot account.
Officials and witnesses said six people, including two firefighters, were injured while trying to douse the flames, which reduced to wrecks the industrial unit's main components on the two top floors of the factory building.
The fire, spewing out "fierce heat", damaged knitwear, swing-machines and valuables of the Envoy Garments Ltd housed in a five-storey building owned by Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA)'s ex-president Kutubuddin, the sources said.
Factory officials said the fire might have originated from electric short circuit from the finishing section on the 3rd floor of the building, in an area having a high concentration of the export industry. The vital parts of the factory on the 3rd and 4th floors went up in flames.
An official of the factory said the finishing section on the 3rd floor and the swing section on the 4th were "completely damaged" in the fire, which broke out at about 5:10 pm. However, estimated damages could not be ascertained immediately.
Several units of fire brigade rushed in at about 5:30 pm and brought the blaze under control with the help of factory workers at about 6:00 pm.
Official sources said some 300 workers were working in the factory building. "Sensing the fire incident, the factory workers managed to climb down the building through the emergency exit and the main staircase," said an eyewitness account.
Inmates of the two nearby residential buildings were evacuated to avert any risk.
"Army men from a local camp and police rushed in and controlled the mob to help the rescue operation, as crowds thronged the scene," said a spot account.