Dozens killed in fire at Bangladesh factory

Many jumped to escape blaze that tore through multi-storey food and beverage plant

Firefighters on July 9 try to douse a fire that broke out the day before in a beverage and food factory in Rupganj in the district Narayanganj, that has reportedly claimed 43 lives so far.

Firefighters try to douse a fire that broke out a day before in a beverage and food factory in Rupganj in the district Narayanganj that has reportedly claimed 43 lives so far.

Onlookers watch as smoke bellows from a massive fire that broke out a day before in a beverage and food factory in Rupganj in the district Narayanganj that has reportedly claimed 43 lives so far.

Onlookers watch as smoke bellows from a massive fire that broke out a day before in a beverage and food factory in Rupganj in the district Narayanganj on July 9, 2021 that has reportedly claimed 43 lives so far. (Photo by Munir Uz zaman / AFP)

Unidentified relatives of the victims mourn at the site after a fire broke out at a factory named Hashem Foods Ltd. in Rupganj of Narayanganj district, on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, July 9, 2021. REUTERS / Mohammad Ponir Hossain TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

In this aerial photo taken on July 9 smoke bellows from a massive fire that broke out in a beverage and food factory in Rupganj in the district Narayanganj. (Photo by Munir Uz zaman / AFP)

An exhausted firefighter rests at the site of a fire that broke out at a factory named Hashem Foods Ltd. in Rupganj of Narayanganj district, on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Firefighters work at the scene of a fire that broke out at a factory named Hashem Foods Ltd. in Rupganj of Narayanganj district, on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Firefighters work at the scene of a fire that broke out at a factory named Hashem Foods Ltd. in Rupganj of Narayanganj district, on the outskirts of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

A massive blaze killed at least 52 people at a food factory in Bangladesh, as flames forced many workers trapped on upper floors to jump for their lives, police said on Friday.

About 30 people were injured, said officials.

Hundreds of people, including workers who had escaped and anxious relatives of others, waited outside as the fire raged through the factory that produced noodles, fruit juice and sweets.

The inferno is the latest blemish on Bangladesh's industrial and residential safety record, following a series of disasters in factories and apartment buildings.

In February 2019, at least 70 people were killed when fire ripped through apartments where chemicals were illegally stored, in the capital Dhaka.

This latest fire broke out at Hashem Food and Beverage factory in Rupganj, an industrial town outside Dhaka, on Thursday afternoon. It was still raging almost 24 hours later.

Onlookers watch as smoke billows from a food factory in Rupganj, Bangladesh, a day after a fire broke out there on July 8, 2021. AFP

Police initially gave a toll of three dead but it rose dramatically as firefighters reached the upper floors and started bringing out dozens of bodies of trapped workers.

The victims' bodies were taken in a fleet of ambulances to mortuaries, amid anguished cries from bystanders.

Police dispersed hundreds of people who blocked nearby roads and clashed with officers.

Some of those injured had jumped from the upper floors, as flames quickly engulfed the six-storey building, police inspector Sheikh Kabirul Islam said.

Emergency services battled to extinguish the flames on the fifth and sixth floors, and firefighters rescued 25 people from the factory roof.

“Once the fire is under control, we will conduct a search and rescue operation inside. Then we can confirm any further casualties, if any,” Debashish Bardhan, fire service spokesman, told AFP.

Dinu Moni Sharma, head of the Dhaka fire department, said the fire spread quickly because highly flammable chemicals and plastics were stored in the factory.

Mohammad Saiful, a worker who escaped, said dozens of people were inside when the blaze erupted.

“On the third floor, gates on both stairwells were closed. Other colleagues are saying there were 48 people inside. I don't know what happened to them,” he said.

Another worker, who gave his name as Mamun, said he and 13 other workers ran to the roof after the fire broke out on the ground floor and black smoke quickly choked the whole factory.

“Firefighters brought us down by using rope,” he told reporters.

As clouds of smoke billowed from the factory building, many of the waiting relatives said they feared the worst.

“We came here because my niece was not receiving our phone calls for a while,” said Nazrul Islam. “And now the phone is not ringing at all. We are worried.”