Tampaco Fire: Factory used excessive gas
A Titas Gas probe has found evidence of gas use beyond the approved limit at the Tampaco foils factory where at least 36 people were killed in a devastating fire on September 10.
The factory was consuming gas at least twice the permitted amount at the time of the incident, said sources linked to the probe body formed by Titas Gas Transmission & Distribution Company Limited.
The sources said the probe body did not find faults in gas pipeline responsible for the incident. Inspecting the factory at BSCIC Industrial area in Tongi, the pipeline was found unharmed.
The sources further said gas supply to the factory was suspended within half an hour of the incident.
Earlier in 2005, Tampaco was fined twice for excessive gas use, according to Titas officials.
Rana Akbar Haidari, chief of the three-member probe body, formed a day after the incident, said the report was submitted to the Titas high-ups on Thursday.
Talking to this correspondent, he said the factory used to consume excessive gas using booster machine.
“They were warned earlier. The factory had permission to use gas for two shifts but it regularly ran three shifts and thus consumed excessive gas.”
Without going into details, he added that the factory should have stored its inflammable chemicals in a more secured place. “The fire became more devastating because of those chemicals.”
However, it still remains unknown what exactly caused the blaze. Titas officials declined to discuss it, saying their job was to investigate gas and gas line related issues.
Gazipur district administration, industries ministry, Fire Service and Civil Defence and Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments also formed committees to investigate the Tampaco inferno.
Meanwhile, death toll from the incident rose to 36 as search and rescue team found another body at the site yesterday.
Deputy Director Aktaruzzaman of Gazipur Fire Service said remains of a body was recovered from the debris around yesterday noon. The body could not be identified immediately, he said.
So far, 29 bodies have been identified.
The fire broke out after a huge explosion at the foil factory on the morning of September 10 when workers were changing their shift at the four-storey factory.
Twenty-four bodies were found that day while around 50 persons suffered injuries as the fire led to the factory building collapse three days ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha.
At least 11 persons are said to remain missing.
On Wednesday, relatives of nine of the 11 workers gave DNA samples to the authorities concerned to identify their loved ones.
Two cases were filed against the factory authorities with Tongi Police Station. The owner, former lawmaker Mokbul Hossain, has been named the prime suspect.
Meanwhile, search and rescue in the debris reached its 15th day as the army, fire service and Gazipur City Corporation joined the operation.
Equipped with heavy instruments, they were seen clearing the debris from the spot.
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