Nine people were killed and eight others injured in a fire that broke out at a garment factory and a chemical godown called Cosmic Pharma in the capital’s Mirpur’s Shialbari area.

Talha bin Jasim, officer-in-charge of the Fire Service’s media cell, confirmed the matter on Tuesday (October 14) afternoon.

He said that nine people were killed in a fire that broke out at a garment factory and a chemical godown in the capital’s Mirpur’s Shialbari area. Eight more were seriously injured in the incident and admitted to the National Burn Institute.

The fire service official was initially unable to identify the dead and injured.

Fire Service Director (Operations) Lieutenant Colonel Tajul Islam said that the bodies of nine people have been recovered from the second floor of the garment factory.

As of 4:15 pm, 12 units of the fire service are working to control the fire.

Earlier, the fire service received a report of the fire at around 11:40 am on Tuesday. After receiving the report, the first unit of the fire service reached the spot at 11:56 am. Initially, five units reached and tried to control the fire. Later, seven more units joined in to control the fire.

Eyewitnesses said that there was a sudden explosion in the garment factory. The fire immediately spread to the chemical godown next door. Upon receiving the news, the fire service reached the spot one by one and started extinguishing the fire. The army was deployed to handle the crowd of excited people at the spot. Then, students from a nearby private university, volunteers, police, RAB and BGB joined them in providing assistance.

Fire Service Director (Operations) Lieutenant Colonel Tajul Islam said the fire at the chemical godown could not be brought under control due to the presence of various types of chemicals.