Gazipur fire: Another tragedy due to negligence
Days after a fire broke out in a plastic factory in Keraniganj which killed 19 workers, another fire in a Gazipur electric fan and light bulb factory claimed at least 10 lives. After the Keraniganj fire incident occurred, it was discovered that the factory had only one gate which made exit difficult. Similarly, the factory in Gazipur also had only one gate which made exit and entry impossible once the fire started to spread, leading to the high number of casualties.
Again, the Gazipur factory was located in a residential area at a building not meant for industrial use—a pattern we have seen repeating itself time and again. And despite their best efforts, inhabitants of nearby buildings could not reach the workers who were trapped inside, as there were flames near the staircase leading up to the only point of entry and exit (the factory had no fire exit either). This, too, we have seen before, not only in the case of the Keraniganj fire, but in many more cases before that.
While the factory management's negligence should definitely be blamed for these tragic deaths, what have the authorities been doing to ensure that factories do not operate without properly following the building codes? Why are factories being allowed to operate without having the necessary fire exits and other mechanisms of fire preventions in place? Despite their lofty promises, the authorities have learned nothing from previous fire outbreaks. The lives of workers, it seems, do not mean much to anyone—not to the factory owners nor the authorities concerned.
This cannot be allowed to continue. Factories must be removed from residential areas. Officials in charge of ensuring building and workplace safety must monitor these establishments and confirm that safety codes are followed properly by all factories to avoid such unfortunate occurrences.
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