CEPZ factory fire under control after 16 hours

Bangla Press Desk:   Firefighters have brought a massive blaze at a factory in the Chattogram Export Processing Zone (EPZ) largely under control after 16 hours of efforts, officials said on Friday.

According to the Fire Service and Civil Defence, the intensity of the fire has significantly decreased, though small pockets of flames are still burning inside the facility.

“The flames outside the factory were visible even an hour ago, but now they are no longer seen,” said Jasim Uddin, divisional deputy director of the Fire Service. 

He said, “However, some areas inside are still burning.”

He said the operation to extinguish the fire gained momentum around 2 am when firefighters deployed two advanced cranes, which played a crucial role in containing the blaze.

Fire officials noted that the biggest challenge was preventing the flames from spreading to nearby areas, as the temperature inside the factory had soared to between 800 and 1,000 degrees Celsius. 

A nearby paint warehouse had also raised the risk of the fire spreading further.

They added that the reduced intensity of the blaze was the result of the firefighters’ tireless efforts. 

Members of other law enforcement agencies also played a vital role in bringing the situation under control, they continued. 

BP/TD