173 reported missing at Gazi Tyre factory fire

Staff Reporter :

At least 173 people have been reported missing following a fire that broke out at the Gazi Tyre Factory in the Rupganj area of Narayanganj.

However, factory authorities have claimed that none of the missing individuals are factory workers.

Despite more than 23 hours passing since the fire began (as of 7 p.m. on Monday), the blaze has yet to be fully extinguished, and looting is reportedly ongoing in the area.

It is suspected that those reported missing may have entered the premises for looting or other purposes.

On Monday afternoon, the families and relatives of the missing individuals gathered in front of the burned-down factory.

In response, the Fire Service and Civil Defence began compiling a list of the missing. As of 2:45 p.m., 173 names had been recorded.

Lieutenant Colonel Rezaul Karim, Director of Fire Service and Civil Defence (Dhaka), informed the media that the list was being prepared based on requests from the relatives of the missing.

Once the list is complete, it will be handed over to the police for investigation.

He also noted that as of 7 p.m. on Monday, no casualties had been officially reported.

The fire service official added that as of 2 p.m., a fire was still burning in a six-storey building within the factory, preventing firefighters from entering to search for possible victims. Currently, 12 firefighting units are working at the scene.

Interviews with at least 20 relatives of the missing persons revealed that these individuals had entered the factory at various times on Sunday.

Since then, they have been unaccounted for, and their mobile phones have been switched off since last night.

None of the missing persons are believed to be employees of the factory.