A catastrophic fire at a garment factory in Dhaka’s Mirpur area has left at least 16 workers dead, with officials warning that the toll may increase as search operations continue.
The blaze broke out around midday on Tuesday, October 14, 2024, on the third floor of the Anwar Fashion garment factory. It quickly spread to the adjacent Shah Alam Chemical Warehouse (also referred to as Alam Traders), which was reportedly stocked with highly flammable substances, including hydrogen peroxide, bleaching powder, and plastic.
The combination of these materials triggered a chemical explosion and a “flashover,” releasing a lethal cloud of toxic gas that fire officials believe killed most of the victims instantly.
The tragedy has been compounded by evidence of severe safety violations at the site. Fire Service Director Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury reported that the victims, whose bodies were burned beyond recognition, were found trapped on the second and third floors. Preliminary investigations revealed that the factory’s roof door was locked and the building’s windows were reinforced with metal grills, leaving workers with no means of escape.
Furthermore, authorities have confirmed that neither the garment factory nor the chemical warehouse possessed the necessary fire safety plans or operating licenses for that location.
In the aftermath of the blaze, both police and military personnel have been deployed to secure the area and assist in the search for missing persons. While the fire in the garment factory was extinguished within three hours, the chemical warehouse continued to burn for over 24 hours, requiring the use of specialized firefighting robots to contain the hazardous site.
As distraught families gather outside holding photographs of missing loved ones, a manhunt is underway for the owners of both facilities, who reportedly went into hiding immediately after the incident. The disaster serves as a grim reminder of the persistent safety gaps in Bangladesh’s massive garment sector, the world’s second-largest exporter of clothing.
