Gazi Tyres factory fire doused after 32 hours, building collapse feared

A fire at the Gazi Tyres factory in Rupganj, Narayanganj, has been doused after 32 hours, raising concerns about the structural stability of the six-story building. Due to the prolonged blaze, there is now a risk that the building may collapse.

Fire service officials have yet to conduct an internal search due to the intense heat and the possibility of a collapse, leaving relatives of the missing workers anxiously waiting outside the factory.

“The fire was doused around 5am today (27 August), but the building’s interior remains extremely hot, with flames occasionally reigniting. Smoke continues to be visible, and the intense heat has caused the building’s floors to warp and the plaster to peel off, heightening the risk of collapse,” Anwarul Haque, the assistant director of the fire service, told Prothom Alo.

Given the dangers, the fire service is currently avoiding any internal searches. Anwarul Haque said that they had used a turntable ladder (TTL) machine to inspect the roof from outside, but no casualties were found. As the day progressed, parts of the building began to fall off, prompting authorities to restrict access to the area for safety reasons. During this time, looting by miscreants was reported in different parts of the factory. Relatives of the missing have gathered outside the factory for two nights, hoping to recover the bodies of their loved ones.

According to eyewitnesses and factory authorities, the fire started around 9pm on Sunday (25 August) night when miscreants set fire to the entrance stairs on the ground floor during a looting spree. Many people inside the building were trapped.

Twelve units of the fire service worked tirelessly to control the fire, finally bringing it under control at 7:05pm yesterday (26 August). No information regarding casualties has been provided by the fire service.