The devastating fire that broke out at Adams Caps and Textile Limited in the Chattogram Export Processing Zone on October 16 afternoon was brought under control on Friday morning after 17-hour efforts.
The multi-storey factory building has been declared highly risky, while the Fire Service and CEPZ authorities have formed two separate probe committees to investigate the cause of the blaze.
According to Fire Service officials, the fire, which began at about 2:10pm on October 16, was brought under control at about 7:25am on Friday. Several upper floors of the building collapsed during the incident, though no casualties were reported.
Soon after the fire broke out, multiple firefighting units rushed to the scene. As the blaze intensified, units from the Bangladesh Air Force, Navy, CEPZ, Chattogram Port Authority and Karnaphuli Export Processing Zone joined the operation. In total, 25 units of the Fire Service, along with two platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh, took part in the firefighting and rescue operation.
Fire Service director Lieutenant Colonel Tajul Islam Chowdhury, who was present at the site, Friday morning told reporters that the fire was brought under control after 17 hours of efforts. We received the first report of the fire at 2:10pm. It took until 7:25am to control it.
He said that all workers and staff were evacuated safely from the building soon after the fire broke out.
Tajul said that it took so long to douse the fire for a number of reasons, including the presence of poorly maintained combustible materials on a floor of the building and space constraints outside the building due to building code violation.
鈥楾he temperature inside rose to between 800 and 1,000 degrees Celsius, weakening the concrete pillars. As a result, the floors from the fifth to the eighth collapsed onto each other like a sandwich, making operations extremely challenging,鈥� Tajul said.
He also said that a five-member committee had been formed to investigate the cause of the fire and other related issues. The committee will submit its report within 15 working days.
CEPZ executive director Abdus Sobhan said, 鈥楢fter the fire broke out, our first task was to cordon off the area and bring the workers to safety. All workers were evacuated without any injuries or casualties.鈥�
鈥楢ll factories in CEPZ are required to obtain fire compliance certification before starting production, and this building was also compliant one. A fire drill for the workers was conducted a few days ago. A five-member investigation committee, led by a fire consultant and including experts, has been formed. The committee will submit its report within seven days,鈥� Sobhan added.
