Dhaka: The death toll in a massive fire at a juice factory in Bangladesh’s Narayanganj district rose to 52 on Friday. A top official has given this information. Debasish Bardhan, deputy director of fire services and civil defence, confirmed the toll to BDNews24, saying, “Our searches are still on.” Abdullah Al Arefin, deputy assistant director of Narayanganj Fire Service, said on Friday that the bodies have been sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for post-mortem. A fire broke out at the factory of Hashem Foods Limited, which manufactures various juices, soft drinks and food items, in Karnagoop area of Upazila at around 5.30 pm on Thursday.
The deaths of three women workers were reported soon after the fire broke out. Although the fire was almost brought under control early Friday, the fifth and sixth floors caught fire once again in the morning. Due to the scorching heat of the fire, cracks developed in the building. The windows, including the aluminum frame, were shattered, sending plumes of black smoke billowing out of the factory. Hasham Foods Limited officials are yet to reveal the exact number of workers who were inside the factory when the fire broke out.
