Mirpur fire: BNP and Jamaat to give Tk 1 lakh to families of victims

BNP and Jamaat have announced to give Tk 1 lakh to the families of those killed in the fire at a factory and chemical warehouse called Cosmic Pharma in the capital’s Mirpur. On Tuesday (October 14), party Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman confirmed the matter on behalf of Jamaat and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi confirmed the matter on behalf of BNP.
Meanwhile, the death toll in the incident has risen to 16. According to the latest information, the fire has been brought under control but has not been completely extinguished yet. There is a possibility of another fire from chemicals, said Fire Service Director General Brigadier Mohammad Zahed Kamal. He said this in a briefing after visiting the scene at night.
He said that smoke is still visible due to chemicals. However, it has been possible to bring the fire under control. It will not be possible to put out chemical fires quickly like other fires. It may take time. Rules must be followed in case of chemical accidents. A delegation from BUET will arrive at the scene tomorrow.
He also said that despite repeated publicity and instructions from the fire service, precautions regarding the establishment of chemical warehouses are not being followed. I do not want to see a repeat of this incident. Looking at the structure of the building, it seems that building construction rules were not followed.
Earlier, 16 bodies were recovered in the fire incident in Shialbari, Mirpur. The bodies have been taken to the Dhaka Medical College morgue. It is not possible to identify the bodies without DNA testing. In addition, three people who were burnt in the incident have been admitted to the National Burn Institute.
Eyewitnesses said that a sudden explosion occurred in the factory after 11:30 am on Tuesday. At that time, the fire immediately spread to a nearby chemical warehouse. Upon receiving the information, 12 units of the fire service reached the spot one by one and started extinguishing the fire. Then students of a nearby private university, volunteers, police, RAB and BGB joined their assistance.
Fire Service Director (Operations and Maintenance) Lieutenant Colonel Tajul Islam said that the bodies were found in the clothing department. The workers could not leave the garment department because the roof of the tin shed was closed. It is initially believed that they died due to toxic gas produced by the chemical explosion. The bodies have been sent to the Dhaka Medical College Morgue. It is not possible to identify the bodies without DNA testing. Meanwhile, Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus expressed grief over the incident. In a condolence message sent to the media on Tuesday, he prayed for the forgiveness of the souls of the deceased.