Firefighters in Gazipur battled for seven hours on Friday (Sept 13) to tame the blazes that erupted at an electronics home appliances manufacturing plant, which officials said lacked adequate fire safety measures.
As many as 18 firefighting units from Gazipur city, Tongi and Joydebpur were despatched to the district’s Dhirashram area to battle the flames which started in the six-storey factory of Minister Hi-Tech Park Ltd, a sister concern of Myone Electronics, around 7am.
The fire came under control after 2pm, said Deputy Assistant Director Mamunur Rashid of the Gazipur Fire Service.
“The fire originated in the warehouse on the building's top floor but the cause of the flames and the extent of damages are yet to be assessed,” he said.
Any casualties were yet to be reported, said the senior firefighter before adding the factory lacked adequate fire safety measures.

The local Department of Inspection of Factories and Establishment echoed.

"The factory didn't carry out fire drills regularly. The warehouse on the sixth floor is also a violation of the regulations," Assistant Inspector General Motalib Mia said.

He said the factory authorities were served with a notice some four weeks ago over not having fire alarm and safety equipment. “But they didn't respond. The factory inspection department will initiate measures against them.”

Various home appliances manufactured in the factory were stored on the sixth floor, said the company’s Head of Media KMG Kibria, but he could not provide an estimated value of the goods gutted.
The factory assembles fridges and TVs and manufactures home appliances like rice cookers and irons, said it Deputy General Manager (accounts and finance) Md Rafiqul Islam.

He, however, did not respond to queries from the media over fire safety measures.



MA Razzak Khan, the chairman of Myone Electronics and Minister Hi-Tech Park Ltd, also skirted questions on the issue and said, "Factory operations were closed at the time. We don't know how the fire broke out on the sixth floor."

Meanwhile, the local administration has opened an inquiry.
Deputy Commissioner SM Tariqul Islam said that a seven-strong probe panel headed by an additional district magistrate has been ordered to file its findings within seven working days.