A fire at the Adams Caps and Textile Limited factory in the Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) continues to rage, with neighboring buildings at risk even after more than five hours of firefighting.
As of 7pm, nineteen units of the Fire Service, along with fire units from the Navy and Air Force, were working to control the blaze, with assistance from the Army, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and police. Authorities at nearby factories are attempting to prevent further damage by spraying water inside their buildings to keep them cool. Shahnewaz, an official of the neighboring Smart Jacket factory, said: “The heat from the fire is affecting the building of the adjacent factory. To prevent damage, water is being sprayed inside our factory building to keep it cool.”
Deputy Director of Chittagong Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD), Mohammad Jashim Uddin, said the fire was still not under control. “The factory manufactures towels and hospital equipment. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage will be determined later. However, no casualties have been reported so far.”
Mohammad Jamir Hossain Zia, officer-in-charge of the EPZ police station under Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), said the fire started mainly in a warehouse on the sixth and seventh floors. “There were no workers in the warehouse section at the time. Those on the lower floors managed to escape safely, though a few sustained minor injuries while rushing downstairs and were given first aid.”
The fire initially broke out around 2:00–2:10 pm on Thursday at the eight-story factory located on Road-5 of Sector 1 in CEPZ and quickly spread down to the ground floor. On receiving the news, sixteen units of the Fire Service and a firefighting unit from the Bangladesh Navy rushed to the spot. Units from Bandar, Agrabad, EPZ, Kalurghat, and Chandanpura stations also joined the operation.
Eyewitnesses said that the fire spread rapidly through the building’s floors, and firefighting efforts were ongoing. The cause of the fire could not be determined immediately, and authorities were continuing their operations to prevent further escalation.
