No bodies found in Gazi Tyres factory basement: Fire Service
The fire service director said the upper floors of the building are too risky to conduct operation
Anwarul Haque, director of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, has confirmed that no bodies were discovered during rescue operations at the basement of the burnt Gazi Tyres factory in Rupganj of Narayanganj.
"The investigation committee and a team of experts, including a delegation from Buet, determined that the upper floors of the building were too structurally risky to allow for safe entry. However, the Fire Service conducted thorough searches in the basement area, but no dead bodies were found," the official said today (29 August).
He further said, "The drone footage showed no evidence of bodies as well."
Today, a team of experts from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) concluded that a rescue operation inside the burnt building of Gazi Tyres is currently not feasible due to severe structural damage.
After inspecting the site this morning, Buet Professor Rakib Ahsan stated that the building's walls, floors, and beams have been significantly compromised by the three-day fire. The collapse of multiple floors and the presence of overhanging roofs have created a highly dangerous environment.
While the Buet Professor Ahsan acknowledged the possibility of conducting a rescue operation in the basement, he emphasised the critical risks associated with entering the building.
The Buet team's assessment was supported by Ahsan Habib, executive engineer of the Narayanganj Public Works Department, who accompanied them on the inspection.
Locals claimed that some 173 people might have been missing after the fire incident and the relatives of the missing people gathered in front of the factory building.
However, factory authorities claim that none of the missing individuals were workers, suggesting they might have entered the premises during a looting incident or for other purposes.