At least 10 killed in Bangladesh factory fire

The huge blast early Saturday at the Tampaco Foils Ltd. factory outside the capital, Dhaka, triggered a massive blaze that spread quickly at the plant, where flammable chemicals were stored.

Parvez Mia, a doctor at the Tongi government hospital, said the death toll was at 25, up from 22 previously reported, and said at least 70 people were injured.

Firefighters were still trying to extinguish the blaze in the four-storey building on Saturday morning.

More than 1,100 people were killed and 2,500 injured after the collapse of the Rana Plaza building which housed five garment factories in 2013.

“So far we understand debris is more than that of the Rana Plaza building which also collapsed like a sandwich”.

More than 24 hours after the tragedy, several relatives of the people missing in the accident gathered in front of the unit part of which was reduced to ashes yesterday.

During the fiscal year that ended in June, the industry earned $28 billion in exports.

Director-General Guy Ryder has said in a statement that though Bangladesh has addressed the issue, the Tampaco factory fire drives home that “there can be no room for complacency and much ground still needs to be covered”.

“The boiler explosion and resulting fire. demonstrates the ongoing dangers to industrial workers in that country”, a statement from a consortium of groups, including the International Labor Rights Forum, said.

“We have launched investigation. the persons responsible for the accident, the owner of the factory in particular, will face stern legal action”, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said. “We are doing our best to arrest them”, said Aminul Islam, who is an inspector at the local police station.

“This is a major issue that the Accord, all other building safety initiatives in Bangladesh, and the Bangladesh government must address”. He confirmed that at least 23 people had died.

Western brands subsequently upgraded safety standards and inspections for suppliers, dramatically reducing incidents of fire and other accidents at export-orientated factories.