52 dead, scores injured in Bangladesh factory fire

As many as 52 people have died and several injured in Bangladesh`s Narayanganj city after a fire that broke out in a juice factory.

Reuters Photo

Dhaka: As many as 52 people have died and 50 others were injured after a fire broke out in a juice factory in Bangladesh`s Narayanganj city on Thursday afternoon. Even after 21 hours, the fire is yet to be fully doused as firefighting units from around the country were struggling at the factory building till 2:15 pm on Friday, Dhaka Tribune reported.

According to fire officials, the fire broke out at around 5 pm on Thursday. The Tribune reported that it is suspected that the fire originated from the ground floor of the six-storey building, and spread due to the presence of chemical materials.

Local police said people have gathered in front of the building in search of their loved ones who are still missing.

Alleging delay in rescuing the people trapped inside the building, the protesters on Friday vandalized cars and had a clash with police. Thereafter, police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.

Fire-fighters will take some time to fully control the fire, said Deputy Director of Narayanganj District Fire Service Abdullah Al Arefin.

"Until the fire is doused, it is not possible to say exactly how much damage has occurred and the cause of the fire," he added.

A probe committee has been formed by the district administration to look into this incident.