Bangladesh: Massive fire breaks out at garment factory, chemical warehouse in Dhaka; at least 9 dead

A fire broke out at a garment factory and adjoining chemical warehouse in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka, killed at least nine people and injured several others on Tuesday, according to fire service officials, reported AP.

The blaze erupted in the Mirpur area and is believed to have started on the third floor of a seven-storey building housing a garment facility, said Talha bin Jashim, a senior fire official. The cause of the fire is yet to be confirmed.

Rescue workers had recovered nine bodies by late evening and warned that the death toll could rise. “Several other people have been injured,” Jashim said.

The fire was brought under control by evening, though rescue and recovery operations were to continuing late into the night.

Bangladesh is the second-largest garment exporter globally after China. The sector employs around four million people, the majority of them women, and contributes nearly $40 billion annually to the country’s export earnings, mainly from the US and Europe.

The industry has long faced scrutiny for industrial safety standards . Several past accidents, including fires and building collapses, have been attributed to poor oversight and violations of safety and construction codes.

(With inputs from agencies)