A total of 16 bodies were recovered from the gutted building following a fire that broke out at a RMG factory and chemical warehouse in the city’s Mirpur area on Tuesday.
All the bodies have been taken to the morgue of the Emergency Department at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). Officials say the deceased cannot be identified without DNA testing, as their faces and physical appearance are unrecognisable. The recovery process is expected to conclude within the next 15 to 20 minutes.
These details were shared by Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, director of Operations and Maintenance at the Fire Service and Civil Defence, during a press conference at 7pm on Tuesday.
Lt Col Tajul Islam confirmed that one volunteer was injured during the rescue operation but no fire service personnel were injured in the incident.
He explained that the explosion caused by the fire produced highly toxic white smoke and gases. An early flashover rapidly spread the fire. The victims likely lost consciousness from inhaling the toxic gases and later succumbed to their injuries.
The bodies were found in various corners across the second and third floors. Many victims were unable to go downstairs, and the grilled door leading to the rooftop was locked with two padlocks, preventing them from going upstairs. As a result, most of the victims died on the second and third floors.
Regarding firefighting efforts, Lt Col Tajul Islam said 12 fire service units were actively engaged and continue to work at the scene. While the fire in the garment section is now fully controlled, the blaze in the chemical warehouse remains uncontrolled. The warehouse is still unsafe, with flames and smoke continuing to emerge. Extinguishing this fire may take more time.
He added that the warehouse contained six to seven different types of chemicals. Advanced technology, such as Loop 60 drones and ground monitors, was deployed for firefighting in hazardous areas. Various extinguishing agents, including powder, water, enzymes, and hydrogen peroxide, are being used.
The search and recovery operation was temporarily paused to facilitate the safe removal of the bodies.
Lt Col Tajul Islam also noted that there was no fire safety plan or license for either the garment factory or the chemical warehouse.
Despite inquiries with local workers, the name of the garment factory remains unknown.
Authorities revealed that both the chemical warehouse and the garment factory operated without proper legal authorisation.
Meanwhile, according a report, all the bodies have been taken by the Fire Service to the morgue at DMCH.
So far, no official from the authorities has made any statement in this regard.
