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A specialist team from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology has described recovery operations inside the Gazi Tyres factory in Narayanganj’s Rupganj ‘very dangerous’ after it was gutted by a massive fire, reports bdnews24.com.
Prof Raquib Ahsan from the BUET Department of Civil Engineering, made the remark after inspecting the building on Thursday morning.
The BUET team inspected the building at 9am at the invitation of Narayanganj Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Mahmudul Haque. They toured the outside of the building and spoke to Fire Service personnel.
“We have seen as much as possible by going around the perimeter and with the help of the fire service’s ladders,” said Prof Ahsan. “We have also scrutinised pictures and footage taken with the help of drones.”
“The fire burnt for a long time, nearly three days. The temperature was very high because of the presence of many kinds of materials. You can tell just by looking at the building. The building wasn’t just burnt, but broken by the fire. The rods are exposed.”
The fourth and fifth floors of the six-storey building have also collapsed onto the third floor. The additional weight has also bent the third floor, the BUET professor said.
“Most of the columns are cracked. The number of cracks we can see from outside should also be present inside after the fire.”
“As the fire was more intense higher up, there was more damage there. There are concerns that things may fall down from above while rescue operations are conducted below.”
He said, “Taking everything into consideration, rescue operations inside are very dangerous.”
Drawing on prior experiences, the engineer said: “A BUET team also went to the scene when the Rangs Bhaban collapsed in Dhaka’s Bijoy Sarani. This situation is more hazardous than that one.”
“As a result, according to the calculations of a structural engineer, it is very dangerous to conduct recovery operations here. When the building has to be destroyed in future, it will have to be done with careful planning so that no accidents occur during the demolition.”
After the BUET team’s inspection, the Anowarul Haque, assistant director of the Fire Service and Civil Defence told the media:
“The rods are exposed on every floor, the columns have expanded, and the beams are bent. We cannot conduct search and recovery work in the building under the circumstances.”
“But, we will send a rescue team to the basement of the building today. We will check if anyone was trapped inside there.”
Hundreds of people looted the Gazi Tyres factory after the arrest of former minister Golam Dastagir Gazi was announced early on Sunday morning.
The main building of the factory was set on fire that night. The blaze burnt for nearly 40 hours.
Families claim that many people have gone missing since the incident. They crowd around the factory premises every day, hoping for news about their loved ones.
The Fire Service and Civil Defence have not been able to begin rescue operations at the factory in the four days since the fire started.
The families of the missing have condemned the delay and raised many questions about the situation.