Gazi Tyre factory fire brought under control after 22 hours: Fire Service
Saiful Islam, the factory's assistant general manager, confirmed to TBS that hundreds of people had broken into the factory, causing destruction and looting before setting multiple buildings on fire yesterday
The devastating fire at the Gazi Tyre factory in Narayanganj's Rupganj continues to burn even 22 hours after the incident was first reported, according to Fire Service and Civil Defence.
The fire, however, was brought under control at 7:05pm today (26 August), Lt Col Md Rezaul Karim, director (training, planning and improvement) of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) headquarters, told the media at a briefing in the evening.
The factory was set on fire by looters, who had entered the factory around 9pm yesterday, according to factory officials.
"It will take time to douse the fire. But we don't expect it to spread anymore. It took so long to control the fire as the factory had raw materials for the producing tyres, which are very flammable," Rezaul said.
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The Fire Service director, however, said the factory building is very hazardous now. "We have seen plasters and walls falling down. We request all to maintain distance from the building or there could be more casualties."
He also said the Fire Service did not make any list of individuals who have died or gone missing in the incident.
"Our main target is dousing the fire. We will know if anyone has died or not after we enter the building. We will conduct rescue operations to recover the bodies of any deceased. But we have not made a list. I don't know where you [journalists] got it. You can ask those who have reported on it," he added.
Various media outlets, including The Business Standard, earlier reported that at least 173 people are feared to have gone missing in the fire, citing a list by the Fire Service prepared at the request of family members of those feared missing.
In a statement issued later on the day, the Fire Service and Civil Defence said the agency had not prepared any list of the dead or the missing in the fire as reported by some media outlets, including The Business Standard.
"A couple of media outlets have published information that the fire service is listing the dead in the Gazi Tyre factory fire. This is not correct. The fire service is not listing the dead or the missing. I request you not to serve such news," reads the statement sent to media by the fire service's media cell.
"A few local people have given us their numbers asking us to inform them if any victims are found," the statement also said.
Later in the evening, the agency issued a press statement saying that they have not made an official list of the dead or the missing and called on media outlets not to publish such information.
Factory authorities claim that none of the missing individuals were workers, suggesting they might have entered the premises during a looting incident or for other purposes.
Media reports said the factory area spans around 45 acres of land.
As of this afternoon, looting continued in various parts of the factory. But the main area was safe from looting due to the presence of students and law enforcement agencies, reported Prothom Alo.
According to our correspondent, no looting was ongoing at around 7:00pm.
Twelve firefighting units are working to completely douse the fire.
Saiful Islam, the factory's assistant general manager, confirmed to TBS that hundreds of people had broken into the factory, causing destruction and looting before setting multiple buildings on fire.
The fire service struggled to control the blaze throughout the night and requested police assistance, which was not forthcoming.
Families of the missing individuals gathered outside the burned factory this afternoon. The families have noted that they have lost contact with their loved ones, whose phones have been unreachable since the night of the incident.
Earlier reports indicated that the attack on the factory was linked to the news of Gazi Group's owner and former minister of textiles and jute Golam Dostagir Gazi being brought to court after his arrest yesterday.
The attack and subsequent looting were allegedly carried out by a group of assailants, with claims that one group held people inside while another set the fire.
