Relatives of eleven fire victims, who died in Saturday’s inferno at a Styrofoam package factory –APCCO Bangladesh Ltd – at Mirpur 1 in the capital, identified their charred bodies yesterday.
The remaining two bodies were beyond recognition as they were burnt badly. The Dhaka Medical College authorities have decided to run a DNA test to ascertain their identities.
The identified factory staff are Md. Khokon Mia, 25, cashier of the company, Al-Mahmud, 18, a supplier, Md Tasveer Habib, 29, a commercial officer, Waziullah, 36, a delivery assistant, Mokhlesur Rahman Bachchu, 40, Sabnam Parvin Diti, 27, salesman Billal Hossain, 26, Rasia Begum, 30, accountant Fatema Hossain Ishita, 28, Md Mosadder Islam, 22, Md Montu Mia, 28, a security guard.
After the bodies were taken to the DMCH following the incident on Saturday night relatives thronged the premises to identify the bodies.
As most of the bodies were charred their relatives had to identify the bodies by their dresses, old spots, ornaments and birthmarks.
But the members of two families claimed one of the unidentified bodies as Zahirul and Afzal respectively prompting the authorities to carry out a DNA test.
A heart-rending situation descended on the morgue premises when the relatives identified the bodies. Later they were handed over to them after verifications.
Meanwhile, from the prime minister’s relief fund the family members of eleven victims have been handed over Tk20000 each for burial at their village homes.
The five-storey factory building called APCCO Complex, close to Sony Cinema Hall, caught fire following an explosion around 5:25pm Saturday.
Fire service officials suspected that the fire was originated from an electric short circuit on the ground floor and spread quickly following two explosions of two boilers.
The three injured – security supervisor Towhidul Islam, 50, security guard Kamal Hossain, 35, and worker Robiul Islam, 35 – were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and were said to be in a critical condition.
A three-member probe committee was formed by the fire service. The committee is to submit its report in three days.
Set up in 2006, the factory used plastic and foam to make disposable household goods. It used to be run on two shifts: from 10am to 10pm and 10pm to 10am.
Factory sources said around 75-80 workers used to work in each shift.
