Robot Deployed to Douse Devastating CEPZ Factory Fire

A robot has been deployed to help extinguish the massive fire that broke out at the Adams Cap and Textile Limited factory in the Chattogram Export Processing Zone (CEPZ), confirmed Chattogram Fire Service Assistant Director Anwar Hossain.

Speaking from the scene on Thursday night, October 16, firefighter Anwar Hossain said, “A robot is being used to douse the fire. Water is being sprayed automatically through a hose attached to it. Since the robot can get closer to the fire than humans, it is being used as the intensity of the flames prevents people from approaching that far.”

He added that a total of 1,050 workers were safely evacuated from the factory. “As soon as the fire alarm went off, all workers left the building promptly,” he said.

Anwar Hossain further noted that since the blaze initially erupted on the upper floors, workers were able to exit swiftly and safely. “No casualties have been reported,” he confirmed. Firefighters are now working to contain the flames and protect nearby buildings.

The fire has been raging for more than nine hours at the ‘Adams Cap and Textile Limited’ factory in CEPZ. Despite intermittent rainfall in the area, the intensity of the blaze remains high.

Due to the extreme heat, a portion of the roof on the upper floor has already collapsed. All floors of the multi-storey building are now engulfed in flames. Fire officials fear that if the fire is not brought under control soon, the entire building could collapse.

Ashiq Muhammad Shahadat Hossain, Additional Executive Director of the CEPZ Authority, said, “A total of 1,050 workers were employed at Adams Cap and Textile Limited. As soon as the fire alarm went off, the workers evacuated the building. Since the fire started on the upper floor, they managed to exit quickly and safely. No injuries or fatalities occurred.”

The fire reportedly broke out around 2:00 pm on October 16. Fifteen units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence are working to bring it under control, alongside five units from the Bangladesh Navy.

According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR), five Navy units are actively engaged in fire control operations at the Adams Cap factory in Chattogram EPZ. Additionally, two platoons of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have joined the rescue and support efforts.