CEPZ inferno intensifies, threatens neighbouring factories
A raging fire at Adams Caps and Textile Limited, a seven-storey factory in Zone 5 of the Chattogram Export Processing Zone (CEPZ), has escalated dramatically, putting multiple adjacent factories at serious risk, authorities warned on Thursday.
The blaze, which erupted around 2:20 pm, quickly engulfed the top three floors of the building and is now spreading downward toward the fifth floor—where a chemical storage unit is located.
“If the fire reaches the chemicals, the situation could become catastrophic,” said SP Abdullah Al Mahmud of the Industrial Police, adding that the sixth and seventh floors have already collapsed.
Despite a massive emergency response—including 17 fire units from Agrabad and Port Fire Service, Bangladesh Navy teams, and a Bangladesh Air Force firefighting contingent that joined at 5:30 pm—the intensity of the flames continues to challenge containment efforts.
Neighbouring factories are taking desperate measures to protect their premises. At Smart Jacket, a nearby unit, staff have been using their own hydrant system to spray water on the Adams Cap building for over three hours.
“Our factory is getting dangerously hot from the radiant heat,” said Shahnewaz, an official at Smart Jacket. “We’ve also started sprinkling water inside our own facility to prevent ignition.”
The Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence confirmed the fire spread with alarming speed. “It became intense before we could fully deploy,” said Deputy Director Mohammad Jashim Uddin.
Fortunately, all 1,050 workers at Adams Caps were safely evacuated after the fire alarm activated immediately upon ignition. BEPZA and CEPZ officials confirmed no casualties have been reported so far.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Authorities have cordoned off the area as fears grow over potential structural collapse and chemical hazards.
With flames still uncontrolled and neighbouring units under threat, the incident has raised urgent questions about fire safety protocols in one of Bangladesh’s most critical export hubs.