Eight killed in Mirpur factory fire

Eight people have been killed in a fire that broke out at a factory at Mirpur section-1 in Dhaka.

The plastic goods manufacturing factory of APCCO Bangladesh Ltd, located opposite to Sony Cinema Hall, caught fire around 5:45pm on Saturday, according to the fire service.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia, who visited the spot, told reporters around 8:15pm that the police have recovered eight bodies from the spot.

Neither the police nor the fire service could confirm the number of casualties immediately.

Four bodies were taken to the morgue of the Suhrawardy Medical College and Hospitals (SMCH) until 8pm. Three bodies were sent to the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) and one to National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (NITOR).

SMCH's doctor Ahmedul Kabir told bdnews24.com: "Four bodies were brought here. Two of them are of a female and a male. The rest of them are charred beyond recognition."

Around 7pm, three bodies—two female and a male— were taken to the DMCH.

Four of the injured have been admitted to the DMCH, the DMP chief told reporters.

Earlier, when the firefighters were putting out the flames, Fire Service Director General (DG) Ali Ahammed Khan confirmed the death of five. He, however, then said that the death toll might rise.

Speaking to bdnews24.com immediately after the fire broke out, Dar-us-Salam Police OC Selim Uz Zaman said that fire fighters told him that eight people had been killed.

The cause of the fire at the five-storey building is yet to be known, but firefighters suspect it might have been triggered by busting of a gas cylinder.

Several cylinders were seen at the factory, which used to manufacture household items made of plastic.

A three-strong probe body has been formed over the incident, the fire service DG told reporters at the spot.

The fire service initially reported that the fire broke out at a shopping mall 'Nasim Plaza', but bdnews24.com correspondents later found that a five-storey building—housing the factory—behind the shopping mall was in flames.