Fatal Fire at Keraniganj Gas Lighter Factory, Dhaka – Six Dead, Fifteen Injured

Basic Incident Information

• Date of incident: Sunday, 5 April 2026

• Time of fire: Origin around 12:10 p.m.; fire service notified at 1:11 p.m.

• Location: Tin‑shed gas lighter manufacturing factory, Kadamtali intersection, Keraniganj, near Dhaka, Bangladesh

• Incident type: Factory fire with multiple fatalities and injuries, alleged obstructed egress

Incident Description

Locals reported that a fire broke out at the tin‑shed gas lighter factory around 12:10 p.m., with several loud noises and flames rising rapidly as the blaze spread through the structure. Around 40 people, mostly women and children, were believed to be working inside at the time. Thick black smoke was visible as nearby residents rushed to evacuate workers and move furniture from adjacent houses.

The Fire Service received the call at about 1:11 p.m. and deployed seven firefighting units, which brought the fire under control by 2:30 p.m. and fully extinguished it by 4:45 p.m. During subsequent search operations, firefighters recovered six bodies from inside the factory, five of whom were initially unidentified due to severe burns. At least 15 people were injured, and relatives gathered outside the factory and at the morgue in a frantic search for missing loved ones.

Egress and Alleged Locked Gate

Multiple workers and witnesses alleged that the factory’s main gate was locked when the fire started, hindering escape. A 12‑year‑old worker, Ayesha Akter, stated that she ran to the gate as soon as the fire began but found it closed; after some time it was opened from outside, allowing her to escape.

An employee of an adjacent internet service provider shop, Md Mahmud, said a girl ran to the gate and he asked the guard to open it, but the guard refused, forcing people to look for alternative exits. He stated that the factory authorities “cannot evade responsibility for the deaths.”

Casualties

• Fatalities: 6 confirmed dead recovered from the factory.

  • One victim identified in the report is Mim, 16, an only child supporting her father after her mother’s death; morgue sources said she died from extreme heat and smoke inhalation.

• Injuries: At least 15 people injured.

• Missing: At least two workers (including Manju Begum and Shahinur Akter) were being searched for by relatives shortly after the incident; official missing status may evolve as identification progresses.

Government and Regulatory Response

• Health Minister Sardar Sakhawat Hossain Bokul visited the site and announced financial assistance of Tk 2 lakh for each victim’s family and that the government would bear medical costs for the injured.

• Prime Minister Tarique Rahman expressed grief and directed authorities to investigate the incident and provide necessary assistance and proper treatment to the injured.

• Labour and Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury visited and ordered the formation of a five‑member probe committee, led by a joint secretary, to determine the cause of the fire, with a report due within five working days.

• The Fire Service also formed a separate five‑member probe committee headed by its director of operations, expected to report within seven working days.

Preliminary Learnings and Safety Focus

Although root causes are still under investigation, several critical issues are already evident:

• Egress management: Exit doors and main gates must remain unlocked and easily openable from the inside during working hours; locked or obstructed exits can turn a manageable fire into a mass‑casualty event.

• High‑risk occupancy: Factories employing large numbers of women and children in tin‑shed structures handling flammable products (gas lighters) require robust fire prevention, detection, and emergency planning.

• Community response: Local residents played a key role in early evacuation; formal training and coordination can strengthen community‑level response where formal fire services may take time to arrive.

• Enforcement and oversight: Recurrent patterns of factory fires in Bangladesh, especially in small, informal, or poorly regulated facilities, underline the need for stronger inspections, enforcement of building and fire codes, and accountability for owners where negligence is found.

Status

• Fire: Under control by 2:30 p.m., fully extinguished by 4:45 p.m.

• Casualties: 6 dead, at least 15 injured, with some individuals still being traced by relatives.

• Investigation: Two formal probe committees (Labour Ministry and Fire Service) constituted; findings pending.