NEWS media reported that fire in Prime Patent Plastic Limited at Keraniganj on Wednesday killed at least 12 workers, including an engineer, and injured 33 others. When fire took place, around 300 workers were working there. Usually incidents of fire are increased during winter season. But we have taken no lesson from the past. Rather, we gamble with our life for making some money. Fire Service and Civil Defense in a primary investigation found that the factory did not have enough fire protection measures like exit door. An inspection team in last November fined the factory for non-compliance.
After the 2010 Nimtoli incident, the deadliest ever fire disaster in the country that killed at least 124 people, the FSCD did not issue any licence for setting up chemical factory or warehouse in the old city. Even so, Chawkbazar fire killed around 70 people in last March. Eventually, some factories were established in Keraniganj, the other side of Buriganga and some were relocated there from old Dhaka. As the factories shifted from old Dhaka to Keraniganj, the area has turned into a new mine field. Whereas, the authorities concerned are less responsive about the possible danger. Poor building structures, narrow roads, the near-absence of fire safety measures and a lack of natural source of water in this part of the town make it difficult for the fire-fighters to control flames.
Death in fire has become too easy in our country. Neither the government nor the factory owners are paying any heed over the issue. Most importantly, the owners of the chemical and plastic warehouses and factories are not ready to accept the obvious risk that the existence of such large quantity of inflammable materials inside a congested area poses. What’s true is that — government has failed to create awareness among the people in this regard.
