“Several are very critical”, he added. “Then suddenly, the ceiling started to fall on me”, he told the media from his hospital bed. “I nearly became unconscious”.
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“I nearly became unconscious but I forced myself to go out with the help of my phone’s flashlight”.
At least 25 people have died in a huge blaze at a packaging factory in Bangladesh, which firefighters are battling to contain.
While 30 burnt victims were rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, 10 others shifted to Kurmitola Hospital, said the residential physician. “My brother Delwar Hossain told us last night he would take us to our home district of Sherpur”.
“Idd is ruined for our family”. About 100 people were inside the food and cigarette packaging unit when the explosion occurred and the fire spread quickly because of flammable chemicals stored in the building.
“We thought it was a plane crash”, said Sojib Babu, who lives in the neighborhood and heard the explosion.
On its website, the company lists major worldwide brands, such as British American Tobacco and Nestle, among its customers. In 2012, a fire at a garment factory in a Dhaka suburb killed 112 workers. “They could catch fire anytime”.
Police say they are concerned many workers may still be trapped inside the building.
Readymade garments are the mainstay of the Bangladeshi economy, and earned $28 billion in exports during the fiscal year that ended in June.
At least 21 people were killed and 50 others sustained burn injuries, hospitals sources said.
According to Bdnews24, Bangladesh-based online news portal, two floors of the building partially collapsed due to the explosion.
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Factory safety is a major concern in Bangladesh, which has thousands of garment and packaging factories that supply products to global clothing chains.
