Hours-Long Battle as Fire Tears Through Carton Store at Gazipur’s Supreme Garments Site
The fire, fuelled by large stocks of cartons and packaging materials, continued for more than two hours, though no casualties were reported.
A serious fire broke out on Saturday morning inside a carton manufacturing and storage section of Supreme Garments in the Shailan area of Kashimpur, Gazipur, forcing firefighters into a prolonged operation that stretched well past midday. The blaze began around 10:30 a.m. and quickly grew intense because of the large stock of empty cartons and packaging materials kept on the premises.
Fire service teams from the Kashimpur Mini Fire Service Station were the first to reach the spot after the alarm was raised. Within a short time it became clear that the initial units would not be enough. Additional engines from the Sarabo Fire Service Station and other nearby stations were summoned, bringing the total number of units working at the scene to as many as nine. Even with this reinforcement, the fire was still burning more than two hours after it started, according to duty officers monitoring the situation from the Fire Service headquarters in Dhaka.
No one was reported injured or killed. Workers and staff present when the fire was first noticed managed to leave the building safely, and emergency crews found no one trapped inside the affected sections. The absence of casualties has been one of the few positive notes in an otherwise difficult operation. Firefighters concentrated on stopping the flames from spreading to adjoining parts of the complex and to nearby structures while they tried to bring the main seat of the fire under control.
The exact cause has not yet been established. Officials said it is too early to say whether an electrical short circuit, an accidental spark, or some other factor started the blaze. The heavy concentration of cardboard and packaging material inside the facility clearly helped the fire grow rapidly once it took hold, and that same material made it harder for crews to extinguish the flames quickly. Once the fire is fully put out, investigators will examine the site more carefully for clues about how it began.
Gazipur's industrial zones are filled with garment factories and related units that routinely store large quantities of paper-based packaging. Fires in such warehouses have occurred before, and each incident draws attention to the practical difficulties of controlling a blaze when combustible stock is present in volume. In this case, the location inside a working garment complex added urgency to the response, as authorities wanted to prevent any wider damage or risk to neighbouring buildings.
Local residents and factory personnel stood at a safe distance while smoke continued to rise above the area. Movement of fire engines and water tankers caused temporary slowdowns on nearby roads. Factory management has not yet released a detailed statement on the scale of damage or whether production will be affected in the coming days. Fire service officials said they would provide a clearer picture only after the last pockets of fire are extinguished and an initial assessment can be made.
By early afternoon the operation was still ongoing. Crews remained on site to ensure the blaze did not rekindle, while police and local administration kept the surrounding area clear. The incident has once again underlined the persistent fire-safety challenges faced by packaging and garment-related units in the country's industrial belts. Further information on the cause, the extent of losses, and any follow-up measures is expected later on Saturday once the fire is completely controlled and investigators begin their formal work.