24 killed in Tongi inferno

Part of 5-storey factory bldg collapses after boiler blast

At least 24 people were killed and more than 50 injured when a suspected gas explosion at a packaging factory at Tongi, in Gazipur, caused a devastating fire yesterday morning.
The fire that broke out at about 6:00 in the morning, could not be doused till writing of this reports at 1:00am today. Around 150 firefighters of 25 fire-units, supported by over 100 volunteers put efforts since morning to bring the fire under control.
According to police, about 100 people were inside the factory at the time of the incident.
However, locals and some workers said the number of workers inside the factory may be more as the morning shift workers were entering the factory to take charge from night-shift workers. The factory ran round the clock in three 8-hour shifts.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire spread across the five-storey factory building of Tampaco Foils Ltd, owned by a former BNP-backed parliamentarian, after the explosion around 6am. The fire also caused a major part of the factory building to collapse. The factory and adjacent areas got engulfed in black smoke after the fire.
Lt Col Musharaf Hossain, director (training, development & planning) of Fire Service and Civil Defence Department told reporters that the fire originated from the boiler explosion.

However, MA Mannan, chief inspector of boilers, later claimed that the fire did not break out from boiler explosion. An official from his office also inspected the factory and found the boiler room to be intact, he told the media. As the boiler did not explode, the explosion may have caused from a gas leak, he said.
Fire service officials said the explosion was huge and the fire spread quickly through the floors of the factory as flammable chemicals and oil drums were stored there. They also said the factory was risky as it was housed in a 40-year-old structure. Fire service personnel could not enter the building for rescue operation as there were chemical containers on various floors, they said.
Locals said about 30 to 40 workers were rescued alive from the factory by people in the area right after the fire broke out. Many workers trapped inside the building were screaming for help, they said. But huge flames prevented locals from reaching many trapped inside the factory building.
Prof. Dr Abul Kalam Azad, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and Dr Md Parvez Mia, a resident medical officer of Tongi Government Hospital, have confirmed the casualties. They also said that the death toll might rise as many of the injured were in a very critical condition.
Seventeen bodies have been kept at the Tongi hospital, five at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and two at Adhunik Medical College Hospital in the city’s Uttara area.
Fifteen of the dead were identified as Jahangir Alam of Bhola, Hannan of Matlab upazila in Chandpur, Subhas Chandra of Gopalpur upazila in Tangail, Edon of Comilla, Gopal Das and Shangkar of Nababganj, Al Mamun, Rafiqul of Mymensingh, Abdur Rashed, Solaiman, Hossain, Enamul Haque, Anisur Rahman, Moynuddin Ahmed and Saidur Rahman of Sylhet district.
At least 20 fire-fighting units rushed to the spot to douse the blaze. Flames and smoke were seen billowing from the factory more than six hours after the fire started. Firemen said strong winds fanned the flames.
According to Tongi Hospital's resident physician, Md Parvez Miah, there were 15 bodies, including those of women and children, at the hospital. The victims were initially taken to the Tongi hospital, but those in a critical condition were sent to the DMCH and Adhunik Medical College Hospital.
Sabbir Ahmed, medical officer of Adhunik Medical College Hospital,  said two of the victims were declared dead. Inspector Bachchu Miah of the DMCH's police outpost said four of those brought to the hospital, one of them a woman, have died, while 19 others are being treated.
The DMCH's burns unit resident physician, Partha Shankar Pal, said they were treating three of the factory victims, and one of them is in a critical condition with 90 per cent burns.
A 12-year-old boy is among those being treated at the hospital, the DMCH director, Brig. Gen. Mizanur Rahman, told the media. The boy is traumatised and needs immediate surgery, he added.
State minister for health, Zahid Malek, visited the DMCH and gave the assurance that proper treatment would be provided to the victims.
The Gazipur district administration has formed a five-member inquiry committee.
The fire service or the factory management is yet to say how the explosion took place, causing such a deadly fire.
Each of the families of those killed will get Tk. 2 lakh as compensation, said the state minister for labour and employment, Mujibul Haque Chunnu. During his visit to the spot in the BSCIC industrial area, Haque made the announcement around 1:30pm.
The compensation will be provided from the Workers’ Welfare Fund of the labour ministry, said inspector general Syed Ahmed of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, while visiting the spot.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have expressed deep shock at the loss of lives at the factory. In condolence messages, they prayed for peace for the souls of the departed, and conveyed sympathy to members of the bereaved families and early recovery of the injured.
While visiting the spot, inspector general of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque said a case will be filed against the factory owner as he did not install safety measures.
When contacted by The Independent, Tampaco Foils Ltd owner Dr Sayed Mokbul Hossain Lechu Miah claimed that assets worth about Tk. 700 crore were damaged in the fire.He also said that no one was killed due to the building collapse, all the deaths were from fire.
Mahbubul Haque Shakil, special assistant (media) to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, told this correspondent that the Prime Minister herself was monitoring the rescue operation. Immediately after the fire broke out, the PM instructed the authorities concerned to bring the blaze under control as soon as possible to minimise causalities.
Local Awami League leaders and activists were told to join the rescue operation together with the fire-fighters, he said. Shakil said after assessment, the Prime Minister will announce more monetary aid for the victims, apart from the Tk. 2 lakh compensation declared by the labour and employment ministry.
Who is the owner?
Tampaco Foils Ltd is owned by Dr Sayed Mokbul Hossain Lechu Miah, a pro-BNP leader and ex-MP from the Bianibazar-Gopalganj constituency of Sylhet. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid has expressed his condolence at the tragic blast and fire in the factory. Talking to this correspondent, the minister said he had spoken to factory owner Lechu Miah. "He is a businessman in my own constituency and also involved in politics," Nahid said.
He requested The Independent to publish that he too had expressed his condolence. When the condolence of the minister spread on social networking sites, many online activists harshly criticised the minister, who is also a AL leader.
Sources said, Sylhet BNP leader Lechu Miah resigned from the post of president of the Beanibazar thana unit of the BNP in July 2006. Many party men suspected that he had resigned only to win in the parliamentary election.
When he saw that Enam Ahmed Chowdhury, an advisor to the BNP chairperson, had aligned with party stalwart Saifur Rahman, he left the camp of Saifur, a former finance minister. Lechu Miah was actively involved in intra-party feuds and changed groups several times.
Lechu Miah was elected lawmaker from the area in 1986 and 2001 as an Independent candidate. He joined the BNP in 2003.
He extended his support to missing BNP leader M Ilyas Ali in 2005, when Ilyas openly took a position against Saifur.
Who are the clients?
Tampaco Foils Ltd. (TFL) was established in 1978 and was regarded as the pioneer in the field of flexible and tobacco packaging in Bangladesh.
The company manufactures paper backed foils, plugs wrap paper, cigarette paper, filter tipping paper and printed, metalised and laminated films.
Its clients include reputed multinational and local companies including British American Tobacco, Nestle Bangladesh Ltd, Abul Khair Group, Akij Group, Pran Group, Ispahani, Cocola Food Products Ltd, BD Foods Ltd, Esential Drugs Company Ltd, Meridian Foods Ltd, Fu-wang Foods Ltd, Abdul Monem Ltd and Nabisco Biscuit & Bread Factory Ltd.

 

 

24 killed in Tongi inferno

Part of 5-storey factory bldg collapses after boiler blast

At least 24 people were killed and more than 50 injured when a suspected gas explosion at a packaging factory at Tongi, in Gazipur, caused a devastating fire yesterday morning. The fire that broke out at about 6:00 in the morning, could not be doused till writing of this reports at 1:00am today. Around 150 firefighters of 25 fire-units, supported by over 100 volunteers put efforts since morning to bring the fire under control. According to police, about 100 people were inside the factory at the time of the incident. However, locals and some workers said the number of workers inside the factory may be more as the morning shift workers were entering the factory to take charge from night-shift workers. The factory ran round the clock in three 8-hour shifts. According to eyewitnesses, the fire spread across the five-storey factory building of Tampaco Foils Ltd, owned by a former BNP-backed parliamentarian, after the explosion around 6am. The fire also caused a major part of the factory building to collapse. The factory and adjacent areas got engulfed in black smoke after the fire. Lt Col Musharaf Hossain, director (training, development planning) of Fire Service and Civil Defence Department told reporters that the fire originated from the boiler explosion. However, MA Mannan, chief inspector of boilers, later claimed that the fire did not break out from boiler explosion. An official from his office also inspected the factory and found the boiler room to be intact, he told the media. As the boiler did not explode, the explosion may have caused from a gas leak, he said. Fire service officials said the explosion was huge and the fire spread quickly through the floors of the factory as flammable chemicals and oil drums were stored there. They also said the factory was risky as it was housed in a 40-year-old structure. Fire service personnel could not enter the building for rescue operation as there were chemical containers on various floors, they said. Locals said about 30 to 40 workers were rescued alive from the factory by people in the area right after the fire broke out. Many workers trapped inside the building were screaming for help, they said. But huge flames prevented locals from reaching many trapped inside the factory building. Prof. Dr Abul Kalam Azad, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and Dr Md Parvez Mia, a resident medical officer of Tongi Government Hospital, have confirmed the casualties. They also said that the death toll might rise as many of the injured were in a very critical condition. Seventeen bodies have been kept at the Tongi hospital, five at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and two at Adhunik Medical College Hospital in the citys Uttara area. Fifteen of the dead were identified as Jahangir Alam of Bhola, Hannan of Matlab upazila in Chandpur, Subhas Chandra of Gopalpur upazila in Tangail, Edon of Comilla, Gopal Das and Shangkar of Nababganj, Al Mamun, Rafiqul of Mymensingh, Abdur Rashed, Solaiman, Hossain, Enamul Haque, Anisur Rahman, Moynuddin Ahmed and Saidur Rahman of Sylhet district. At least 20 fire-fighting units rushed to the spot to douse the blaze. Flames and smoke were seen billowing from the factory more than six hours after the fire started. Firemen said strong winds fanned the flames. According to Tongi Hospitals resident physician, Md Parvez Miah, there were 15 bodies, including those of women and children, at the hospital. The victims were initially taken to the Tongi hospital, but those in a critical condition were sent to the DMCH and Adhunik Medical College Hospital. Sabbir Ahmed, medical officer of Adhunik Medical College Hospital, said two of the victims were declared dead. Inspector Bachchu Miah of the DMCHs police outpost said four of those brought to the hospital, one of them a woman, have died, while 19 others are being treated. The DMCHs burns unit resident physician, Partha Shankar Pal, said they were treating three of the factory victims, and one of them is in a critical condition with 90 per cent burns. A 12-year-old boy is among those being treated at the hospital, the DMCH director, Brig. Gen. Mizanur Rahman, told the media. The boy is traumatised and needs immediate surgery, he added. State minister for health, Zahid Malek, visited the DMCH and gave the assurance that proper treatment would be provided to the victims. The Gazipur district administration has formed a five-member inquiry committee. The fire service or the factory management is yet to say how the explosion took place, causing such a deadly fire. Each of the families of those killed will get Tk. 2 lakh as compensation, said the state minister for labour and employment, Mujibul Haque Chunnu. During his visit to the spot in the BSCIC industrial area, Haque made the announcement around 1:30pm. The compensation will be provided from the Workers Welfare Fund of the labour ministry, said inspector general Syed Ahmed of the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, while visiting the spot. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have expressed deep shock at the loss of lives at the factory. In condolence messages, they prayed for peace for the souls of the departed, and conveyed sympathy to members of the bereaved families and early recovery of the injured. While visiting the spot, inspector general of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque said a case will be filed against the factory owner as he did not install safety measures. When contacted by The Independent, Tampaco Foils Ltd owner Dr Sayed Mokbul Hossain Lechu Miah claimed that assets worth about Tk. 700 crore were damaged in the fire.He also said that no one was killed due to the building collapse, all the deaths were from fire. Mahbubul Haque Shakil, special assistant (media) to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, told this correspondent that the Prime Minister herself was monitoring the rescue operation. Immediately after the fire broke out, the PM instructed the authorities concerned to bring the blaze under control as soon as possible to minimise causalities. Local Awami League leaders and activists were told to join the rescue operation together with the fire-fighters, he said. Shakil said after assessment, the Prime Minister will announce more monetary aid for the victims, apart from the Tk. 2 lakh compensation declared by the labour and employment ministry. Who is the owner? Tampaco Foils Ltd is owned by Dr Sayed Mokbul Hossain Lechu Miah, a pro-BNP leader and ex-MP from the Bianibazar-Gopalganj constituency of Sylhet. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid has expressed his condolence at the tragic blast and fire in the factory. Talking to this correspondent, the minister said he had spoken to factory owner Lechu Miah. He is a businessman in my own constituency and also involved in politics, Nahid said. He requested The Independent to publish that he too had expressed his condolence. When the condolence of the minister spread on social networking sites, many online activists harshly criticised the minister, who is also a AL leader. Sources said, Sylhet BNP leader Lechu Miah resigned from the post of president of the Beanibazar thana unit of the BNP in July 2006. Many party men suspected that he had resigned only to win in the parliamentary election. When he saw that Enam Ahmed Chowdhury, an advisor to the BNP chairperson, had aligned with party stalwart Saifur Rahman, he left the camp of Saifur, a former finance minister. Lechu Miah was actively involved in intra-party feuds and changed groups several times. Lechu Miah was elected lawmaker from the area in 1986 and 2001 as an Independent candidate. He joined the BNP in 2003. He extended his support to missing BNP leader M Ilyas Ali in 2005, when Ilyas openly took a position against Saifur. Who are the clients? Tampaco Foils Ltd. (TFL) was established in 1978 and was regarded as the pioneer in the field of flexible and tobacco packaging in Bangladesh. The company manufactures paper backed foils, plugs wrap paper, cigarette paper, filter tipping paper and printed, metalised and laminated films. Its clients include reputed multinational and local companies including British American Tobacco, Nestle Bangladesh Ltd, Abul Khair Group, Akij Group, Pran Group, Ispahani, Cocola Food Products Ltd, BD Foods Ltd, Esential Drugs Company Ltd, Meridian Foods Ltd, Fu-wang Foods Ltd, Abdul Monem Ltd and Nabisco Biscuit Bread Factory Ltd.