Boiler explodes in a Gazipur garment textile factory: at least 11 dead

The flames spread on the ground floor of the Multifabs plant. The company supplies retailers in many Western countries. The owner will pay for the medical costs of the injured and will offer work to the relatives of the victims.

Gazipur (AsiaNews) - At least 11 dead died following a fire that broke out last night in a garment factory in Kashimpur, Gazipur (north of Dhaka). About 50 people were injured. Firefighters are still looking for bodies.

After a boiler exploded, flames spread on the ground floor of the four-story garment factory of Multifabs Limited. At that time hundreds of workers were inside for the first day of work following the Eid al-Fitr's holiday.

Eyewitnesses said that they heard a big bang caused by the boiler blast, which shook nearby buildings and broke windows. After the explosion, power and gas were cut for safety reason.

The factory makes clothing for companies in the United States, Netherlands, Spain, Russia, Germany, Japan, Denmark and Sweden.

When he arrived on the scene, the owner of the company said, “I will give a job to the relatives of those who lost their life in the boiler explosion and I will bear all the costs of treatment of those injured and now in various hospitals.”

For its part, the local government announced a compensation of 20,000 Taka (US$ 250) for every dead worker.

In Bangladesh, the garment industry, mostly export-oriented, is a key part for the economy. The country is the second largest garment exporter after China.

However, those employed in the industry, in which about 80 per cent of the profits go to foreign interests, are over-exploited. Safety standards are poor and workplace accidents are not uncommon.

The worst industrial accident occurred in 2013 when the Rana Plaza industrial complex collapsed, crushing some 1,100 employees with 2,500 people left with serious injuries and permanent disabilities.

• bangladesh
• gazipur
• explosion
• boiler
• casualties
• garment industry