1 killed, 33 burnt in Keraniganj factory fire

At least a worker was killed and 33 others burnt in a fire that broke out at a plastic factory in Keraniganj of Dhaka this afternoon.

Of the 33 burnt workers, 10 victims are with 100 per cent while others with 20 to 70 per cent burn injuries, Brig Gen AKM Nasir Uddin, Director of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), told The Daily Star.

They were taken at the burn and plastic unit of the hospital, he said. 

Meanwhile, identity of the deceased could not be known yet, Shah Jaman, officer-in-charge (OC) of South Keraniganj Police Station, told The Daily Star.

The fire broke out at the tin-shed building of Prime Pattern Plastic Limited located at Chunkutia in South Keraniganj around 4:30pm, said Ziaur Rahman, duty officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence Headquarters.

On information, 10 units of fire-fighters rushed to the spot and doused the blaze around 5:45pm, said Ziaur Rahman.

The fire service officials recovered the charred body of a man and rescued the 33 workers, who suffered burn injuries.

However, the reason behind the fire could not be known yet.

External respiratory organs of most of the victims were burnt, said Prof Md Abul Kalam, director of Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute of DMCH.

All of the injured workers were admitted to the hospital, he said.

Meanwhile, the DMCH authorities formed a 10-member medical board to provide the victims better treatment, he added.

After visiting the DMCH, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said the factory was established without any approval by the concerned authorities.

“At least 70-80 people are used to work in the factory with unhealthy condition, even, there was no safety measures for the workers there,” the state minister added.