Onlookers watch as smoke bellows from a massive fire that broke out a day before in a juice factory in Bangladesh's Narayanganj district on July 9, 2021. (MUNIR UZ ZAMAN / AFP)
DHAKA – At least 51 workers died as a juice factory in Bangladesh's Narayanganj district, about 20 km from capital Dhaka, caught fire on Thursday, a senior official said Friday.
Md Abdul Al Arefin, Narayanganj District Fire Service and Civil Defence deputy director, said that they have come to know that the fire originated from a welding accident at around 5:30 pm local time Thursday
The district's chief administrator Mostain Billah told Xinhua that the death toll of Thursday's factory fire has risen to 51 on Friday afternoon.
"Another 49 bodies were recovered on Friday afternoon, taking the number of total death toll to 51 from two last night," he said.
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According to the official, 20 more people were injured in the fire and they were rushed to different hospitals.
A total of 18 firefighting units managed to bring the fire at the six-storey building of the local factory under control, after more than 21 hours of fighting at around 3:00 pm local time Friday, said the official.
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Md Abdul Al Arefin, Narayanganj District Fire Service and Civil Defence deputy director, said that they have come to know that the fire originated from a welding accident at around 5:30 pm local time Thursday.