The fire at a plastic factory in Dhaka’s Keraniganj that killed 11 people was due to the negligent behavior of the owner, says Health Minister Zahid Maleque.
He made the remarks while briefing the media at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Thursday (Dec 12) after visiting the victims.
“The owners will pay the compensation,” he said before adding, that the government will work to recover the compensation.
“The state is giving treatment to the ones who sustained burn injuries,” he said.
“The situation of the victims is critical; almost everyone has sustained 50 to 100 percent burns,” the minister added.
Eleven people were transferred to the Sheikh Hasina Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute and if needed, more will be transferred there, he said.
Meanwhile, Coordinator of the Burn Unit, Dr Samanta Lal Sen, said: “I have never seen such diabolical injuries; the fire spread in a closed room and within moments, the factory was engulfed in flames.”
On Wednesday (Dec 11) around 5 pm, a fire broke out at a plastic factory in Keraniganj, killing one worker on spot while 31 were taken to DMCH with burn injuries.
As many as 10 fire fighting units worked to douse the fire. They said that the fire may have been caused by a gas-pipe leakage.
Local MP Nasrul Hamid Bipu, who went to DMCH, to visit the victims, said that the factory didn’t have any government approval.