9 killed in fire at garment factory and chemical warehouse in Bangladesh

Nine workers were killed and eight injured on Tuesday in a fire that broke out at a garment factory and a chemical warehouse in Bangladesh capital, officials said.

The devastating fire broke out at a chemical warehouse next to the garment factory, Talha Bin Jasim, an officer at the Fire Service and Civil Defence Media Wing, was quoted as saying by the state-run BSS news agency.

Nine bodies have been recovered from the first and second floors of the garment factory, Fire Service and Civil Defence Director (Operation and Maintenance) Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury told reporters.

"We suspect that all of them have died after inhaling toxic gas,” Chowdhury was quoted as saying by Bangla language daily ‘Prothom Alo’.

He added that the fire was brought under control, and firefighters are conducting searches at the garment factory.

“The number might go up,” Talha Bin Jasim said.

He said they received the report of the fire at 11.40 am (local time), and the first team arrived at the scene at 11.56 am.

The two buildings are located side by side in front of Bangladesh University of Business and Technology in Rupnagar, he said.

Nine firefighting engines rushed to the spot around 11.56 am and doused the blaze in the buildings, he said.

Bangladesh has a history of industrial disasters. Past industrial tragedies have often been attributed to safety lapses.