Staff Reporter:
Fire in the chemical warehouse at Sialbari in Mirpur is under control, but more time is needed to douse the blaze completely.
“The fire in the chemical depot has been brought under control around 2:20pm yesterday. But, it will take much time to douse the blaze completely,” Director of the Fire Service and Civil Defence Lt.Col. Muhammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury said at a press briefing at the site yesterday.
He said the fire in the RMG factory was brought under complete control on Tuesday night. Fire fighters are now struggling to douse the inferno in the warehouse full of hazardous chemicals in a systematic way, he added.
Replying to a question, the director said they suspect that the main gate of the chemical warehouse was locked with nobody inside.
“But, we can confirm it after complete investigation,” he said.
The director said it is difficult to search inside the chemical warehouse as it was full of hazardous chemi-cal and the establishment of the depot was badly damaged in the explosions.
It will take 36 to 72 hours more time to begin the search inside the warehouse, he noted.
Asked about taking action against illegal chemical warehouses, he said a social awareness campaign is needed to get rid of the menace.
The fire broke out in a chemical warehouse and engulfed an adjacent four-storey readymade garment factory 11:40 on Tuesday.
Sixteen bodies were recovered from different areas of the first and second floors of the four-story RMG building.
