Fires in the Fashion Industry Supply Chain

June 2020

Stephen Frost, Ph.D., CUHK Business School

in association with GoBlu
Published: 07 July 2020

1. Research Findings
In June 2020, there were 71 fires in the
fashion industry supply chain, for an
average of 2.4 fires per day. These fires
resulted in 14 deaths and 101 injuries
(ranging from minor injuries such as
smoke inhalation requiring no medical
treatment or resulting in hospitalisation
but immediate discharge, to serious
burns, including one employee with
burns to 90% of his body and a firefighter rendered unconscious due to suffocation). As shown in the
“June 2020 at a glance” chart above, there were more fire incidents, injuries, and deaths for June
than the monthly running averages.

Fires were reported in 23 countries, with seven countries reporting more than two fires. India, with
25 fires for the month, accounted for 35% of all fires reported.

Fig. 1 shows the number of fires per country. Countries reporting more than two fires for June were
(in descending order) India (25), Brazil and Egypt (5 each), Bangladesh and Korea (4 each), and Italy
and Taiwan (3 each). Between them, these seven countries accounted for 49 fires (or 69%).

As stated above, there were 14 deaths in fires this month. Two workers (one of whom was 16-years-
old) died at a fire in a shoe factory in Brazil (#6); one died after a reactor blast and fire in an Indian
chemical factory producing pesticides (including those used on cotton - #32); a labourer died of
asphyxiation in a spinning mill fire in India (#34); and ten died in India as the result of a boiler
explosion and subsequent fire at a chemical plant manufacturing intermediates used in the
production of a range of herbicides and insecticides for agricultural use (including those used on
cotton) and for azo dyes (#37).

The 101 injuries occurred in 12 fires in

nine countries [see Fig. 2]. The incident
resulting in the most injuries was the
pesticide factory fire resulting in ten
deaths (one of the worst industrial
accidents in India this year - #37), which
saw 77 employees admitted to hospital
(of which 33 were discharged after
treatment). Five were injured (one
seriously, with burns to 90% of his body)
in a shoe factory fire in Brazil (#6); a 40-
year-old worker was injured in a cotton mill fire in Egypt (#12); five were injured in a pesticide
factory fire in India, resulting in burns as hot toxic chemicals sprayed over them (#32); two labourers
suffered minor injuries in a textile factory fire in India (#34); a man who tried to extinguish a fire in a
thread winding factory next door to his hour was injured in India (#41); three firefighters were
injured and treated as outpatients after a fire at an adhesive factory (which among other products
makes industrial adhesive for shoe production) in Egypt (#46); a worker was taken to hospital after a
fire in a tannery in Italy (#48); a 53-year-old employee suffered 2nd degree burn to his entire body in
a fire at a sock packaging factory in Korea (#54); a firefighter was rendered unconscious at bedsheet
manufacturer in Pakistan (#57); two employees of a label and textile factory suffered from smoke
inhalation (one hospitalised) in Taiwan (#62); and two firefighters suffered suspected heat stroke
while fighting a fire at a shoe factory in Ukraine (#67).

Fig. 3 shows the number of fires per day

in all 23 countries where fires were
reported.

There were no fires reported on three

days during the month. On one day
(Monday, 08 June), six fires were
reported.

Finally, Fig. 4 (below) shows the

attributed causes of fires this month
(when reported). As expected, most fire incident reports do not attribute a cause, stating either the
cause of the fire is unknown or is still under investigation. This was the case for 37 incidents this
month (51%).

For 18 incidents (25%), the cause was attributed (or suspected to be) electrical in nature (almost
always a short circuit); see #3, 9, 13, 18, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 35, 39, 40, 43, 44 and 56).

Nine fires (13%) were caused by equipment failure: #6 (a gas cylinder explosion in a shoe factory);
#30 (a malfunctioning cooking stove in a leather bag factory); #32 (a reactor explosion in a pesticide
factory); #33 and 34 (both caused by a spark from a machine); #37 (an explosion of an unknown

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 nature); #40 (a gas bottle leak in a dye
house); #52 (leak from a boiler in a
chemical factory producing TPA); and
#62 (where a fire started in a textile
machine).

There were three cases (4%) of arson: #1

(at a wig and costume factory in
Bangladesh, originally thought to have
been started by disgruntled workers, but
subsequently by a band of criminals
unaffiliated with the factory now arrested); #47 (a fire at an apparel factory set by a disgruntled
business partner); and #65 (a fire at a textile factory in Turkey claimed by a revolutionary Kurdish
group (the Children of Fire Initiative [Ateşin Çocukları İnisiyatifi], affiliated with the Kurdistan
Workers’ Party – PKK). This group claimed responsibility for two fires in Turkey in May (see the May
report, #74 and 75).

Two more cases (3%) resulted from human error: #51 (a fire in garbage stored up against an outer
wall of a distribution centre for shoes); and #63 (started by farmers near a factory letting of
fireworks to drive away birds).

The three (4%) ‘others’ were: #5 (a forest fire that spread to raw material stored outside a factory);
and #50 and #60 (both thought to be caused by lightning strike).

Basic information on each incident is provided in the data table below. Section 3 provides full details
and links to original sources.

2. Data table

FIRES IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY SUPPLY CHAIN, JUNE 2020

# Country/City Type Details Name Casualties Date
1 Bangladesh, Hair goods Criminal gang set fire to the Evergreen None 27-Jun-20
Nilphamari (wigs, factory. Fire units worked Factory (BD) reported
costumes, for several hours to put out (Evergreen
etc.) the fire. Caused by arson Products
Group)
2 Bangladesh, Textile 6 fire trucks attended; blaze Etasia None 20-Jun-20
Cumilla (interlinings) controlled. Cause unknown Interlinings reported
3 Bangladesh, Apparel Fire started due to Mum’s [মা] None 07-Jun-20
Bogra (tailor’s electricity wire on workshop Tailor
workshop) roof. Locals put out the fire
4 Bangladesh, Bobbin Fire brigade doused fire in Biplob None 02-Jun-20
Khulna 40 minutes Enterprise reported
5 Brazil, Textile Forest fire spread to raw None 21-Jun-20
Mairinque materials stored outside
-
factory fence. Nine fire
tenders were mobilised
6 Brazil, Nova Shoe A fierce fire, 3 units Atacadão do 2 dead, 5 16-Jun-20
Serrana mobilised. Gas cylinder Chinelo injured (one
explosion suspected seriously)

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7 Brazil, Estância Handbag Firefighters controlled a fire None 11-Jun-20
Velha that started in a waste reported
-
storage area. Cause
unknown
8 Brazil, Apparel Factory was operating when None 11-Jun-20
Apucarana fire started & removed
-
fabric and machines. Cause
unknown
9 Brazil, Siqueira Apparel Fire caused structural Pro Tork None 08-Jun-20
Campos (motorcycle) damage; 6 hours to
extinguish. Short circuit
suspected
10 Bulgaria, Veliko Textile (2nd The fire burned 30 tonnes of None 08-Jun-20
Tarnovo hand 2nd hand clothes; 5 fire units -
clothing) attended. Cause unknown
11 China, Shaoxing Chemical Smoke visible for several Zhejiang None 05-Jun-20
(silicone) km; firefighters extinguished Hengyecheng
in about 2 hours Silicone
12 Egypt, Obour Textile Major fire requiring 5 trucks. None 24-Jun-20
Fabric and machines -
destroyed. Cause unknown
13 Egypt, El Cotton mill Firefighters managed to None 23-Jun-20
Maḥalla control the fire; caused by - reported
short circuit
14 Egypt, Dakahlia Textile (knit) Fire in a waste storage 1 injured 17-Jun-20
warehouse. 4 units - (hospitalised)
attended. Cause unknown
15 Egypt, Giza Mask Fire was thought to be in None 14-Jun-20
chemical factory, but
-
investigators discovered it
was an illegal mask factory
16 Egypt, Cairo Apparel Large factory fire brought None 09-Jun-20
under control by
-
firefighters. Factory building
adjacent to residential area
17 France, Warehouse The fire covered the city None 05-Jun-20
Aubervilliers (clothing) centre in thick smoke; 50 reported
firefighters mobilised &
-
nearest homes evacuated.
Incident is under
investigation
18 India, Ludhiana Textile Goods and machinery Sahib Synthetics None 30-Jun-20
gutted; 6 fire tenders
deployed for 4 hours. Short
circuit suspected
19 India, Valsad Rubber 8 units and 25 firefighters Dashmesh None 26-Jun-20
(reclaimed) took 8 hours to douse fire. Rubber
25 employees on site Industries
evacuated
20 India, Amroha Cotton A night-time fire was None 25-Jun-20
factory attended by several units; - reported
short circuit suspected
21 India, Meerut Weaving 6 fire units took over 2 Jai Guru Dev None 25-Jun-20
(handloom) hours to bring blaze under Printer reported
control; goods destroyed.
Short circuit blamed
22 India, Sanand Apparel Massive fire engulfing entire Unicharm None 24-Jun-20
(diapers, etc) factory; 270 firefighters Industries reported
onsite for at least 8 hours.
572 workers safety
evacuated. Short circuit
suspected

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23 India, Shahabad Apparel Fire burned factory None 23-Jan-20
machinery. Short circuit - reported
suspected
24 India, Meerut Textile Fierce fire took hours to Sharda None 21-Jun-20
(home, rugs) extinguish and resulted in reported
significant damage. Short
circuit suspected
25 India, Ludhiana Apparel Heavy fire at 2-storey Hiphop None 17-Jun-20
factory. 3 fire units reported
attended, taking two hours
to control the blaze. Short
circuit suspected
26 India, Surat Textile Fire broke out on 3rd floor; 6 None 16-Jun-20
Anjani
fire units attended. Short reported
Industries
circuit blamed
27 India, Shamli Textile Fire brigade controlled the None 16-Jun-20
(powerloom) fire but goods burned to - reported
ashes. Short circuit to blame
28 India, Noida Apparel 11 units attended fire to Rohit Bal None 13-Jun-20
bring under control. Closed Designs
due to lockdown. Short
circuit suspected
29 India, Delhi Shoe 11 fire tenders attended a None 13-Jun-20
fire at a 3-storey building reported
-
(with basement). Cause
unknown
30 India, Bara Bag (leather) Large fire in multi-storey None 12-Jun-20
Bazar factory in crowded area. 4 reported
-
units mobilised. Cooking
stove suspected
31 India, Shoe (soles) 2 tenders mobilised, doused Comex None 12-Jun-20
Bahadurgarh fire in 2 hours. Materials Footwear reported
and goods burned. Closed Company
due to lockdown. Cause
unknown
32 India, Chemical Major blast led to large fire, Hemani 1 dead, 5 11-Jun-20
Ankleshwar (agro) which took firefighters 3 Industries injured
hours to douse. Factory (Hemani Group) (severe
gutted burns)
33 India, Cotton gin Fire burned 200 tonnes of None 09-Jun-20
Mukutban cotton. Fire caused by spark - reported
from a machine
34 India, Baddi Textile Machinery spark led to Winsome 1 dead, 2 08-Jun-20
massive fire. 1:40-hours to Textile injured
extinguish Industries (hospitalised)
35 India, Ankhoda Cotton gin A fire broke out while gin Ankhoda Faith None 06-Jun-20
was operating; caused by Ginning and reported
short circuit. 10-15 days Pressing
required to repair damage
36 India, Barwani Cotton gin Large fire destroyed bales of Navalpura None 05-Jun-20
cotton; multiple fire units Cotton Gin reported
battled blaze for over 7
hours. Cause unknown
37 India, Dahej Chemical Massive fire triggered by Yashaswi 10 dead, 77 03-Jun-20
(agro) boiler blast. 6 hours for 11 Rasayan hospitalised
tenders to bring under
control. 4,800 people
moved
38 India, Indore Warehouse Fierce fire in warehouse, None 03-Jun-20
(cotton) required 4 hours to control. reported
-
Serious building damage.
Cause unknown

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39 India, Jalandhar Shoe (soles) Fire reported immediately None 03-Jun-20
and controlled by fire reported
-
fighters. Short circuit
suspected
40 India, Jamnagar Dyeing (sari) Firefighters extinguished the - None 02-Jun-20
fire quickly. Caused by gas reported
bottle leak
41 India, Shamli Thread Fire began in 3rd floor of Shubham 1 (next-door 01-Jun-20
(winding) residence used as Thread Mill neighbour
warehouse (thread winding suffered
in basement). Fire brigade minor burns)
took 2 ½ hours to douse fire.
Short circuit
42 India, Noida Textile Large fire required 18 Radiant Exports None 01-Jun-20
(home) tenders and over 15 hours
to douse. SA8000 certified.
Cause unknown
43 Indonesia, Apparel Fire quickly consumed None 25-Jun-20
Kamal Muara (warehouse) garment warehouse; 19 fire
-
trucks deployed. Short
circuit suspected
44 Indonesia, Sewing 4 units extinguished the fire PT Hardo None 07-Jun-20
Jaten thread in about 10 minutes. Short Soloplast
circuit blamed
45 Iran, Tehran Spinning mill Fire caused significant None 27-Jun-20
damage and material loss. -
Cause unknown
46 Iran, Qom Chemical Large fire, 15 tenders and Sana Group 2 injured 16-Jun-20
(adhesives) 114 firefighters mobilised. (Estehkam) (firefighters)
12 hours to control. Cause
unknown
47 Israel, Barkan Apparel Multiple fire units attended None 04-Jun-20
and controlled the blaze.
-
Significant damage to the
plant. Cause is arson
48 Italy, Solofra Tannery Firefighters controlled the 1 injured 26-Jun-20
blaze, preventing it from (employee
spreading. Cause unknown hospitalised
49 Italy, Prato Leather A fire in two large sheds None 18-Jun-20
goods housing multiple Chinese- reported
owned SMEs in leather -
goods; 13 units attended, 40
firefighters. Cause unknown
50 Italy, Prato Textile Lightning is suspected as the None 08-Jun-20
cause of a fire requiring 2 - reported
units to extinguish
51 Korea, Busan Shoe 3 workers were evacuated None 27-Jun-20
(warehouse) as fire destroyed outer walls
of building. Fire originated in
garbage pile outside
building
52 Korea, Yeosu Chemical Major fire took 300 Samnam None 22-Jun-20
(TPA) firefighters 2.4 hours to Petrochemical
douse. Suspected cause is
fuel leak from boiler
53 Korea, Seoul Apparel Fire was extinguished in 20 None 19-Jun-20
(children’s) minutes; material damage. -
Cause unknown
54 Korea, Daegu Packaging Fire broke out in warehouse 1 (burns, 03-Jun-20
(socks) of plastic packaging hospitalised
-
company. Cause under
investigation

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55 Myanmar, Apparel Workers were told to keep Rui Ning None Mid-June
Hlaing Thar Yar working while fire was reported
extinguished
56 Pakistan, Yarn Fire broke out in yarn None 24-Jun-20
Lahore factory. Short circuit -
suspected
57 Pakistan, Textile (bed Major fire, 8 tenders Liberty Textile 1 injured 11-Jun-20
Karachi linen) mobilised. State of Mills (firefighter
emergency declared. 14 unconscious)
hours to douse fire. Cause
unknown
58 Peru, Lima Leather Fire in illegal wallet factory None 08-Jun-20
(wallet) on 3rd floor. Factory gutted.
-
No injuries. Cause
undetermined
59 Russia, Ivanovo Textile Firefighters controlled the
-
None 08-Jun-20
(recycling) fire in less than an hour
60 Spain, Ripoll Textile Fire in 1 of 4 warehouses None 20-Jun-20
onsite; roof and a wall
collapsed. 11 fire crews -
attended. Lightning
suspected
61 Taiwan, New Dyeing Fire burned 650m2 of None 25-Jun-20
Taipei City building, destroyed fabric. -
Cause unknown
62 Taiwan, Tainan Textile Major fire attended by 25 Junmay Label 2 injured 18-Jun-20
(labels) trucks and 59 firefighters. (Hemmay (smoke
Fire started in textile International) inhalation)
machine
63 Taiwan, Shetou Hosiery (raw Firefighters extinguished the None 03-Jun-20
materials) fire in 30 minutes. An
amount of fabric was
-
burned. Farmers lighting
fireworks to drive away
birds suspected as cause
64 Tunisia, Sfax Apparel Fire in factory warehouse. 3 None 16-Jun-20
units attended. Cause - reported
unknown
65 Turkey, Textile Large fire in 2 warehouses; None 21-Jun-20
Kahramanmaraş 112 firefighters attended.
-
Cotton bales and fabric
burned. Arson claimed
66 Turkey, Niğde Textile Fire broke out in warehouse. Ayga Tekstil None 04-Jun-20
Extinguished after 4 hours. reported
Cause unknown
67 Ukraine, Shoe Fire in a 4-storey factory. 60 MIDA 2 injured 06-Jun-20
Zaporizhia firefighters attended, 12 (firefighters
units. Cause unknown with heat
stroke)
68 Uzbekistan, Warehouse Firefighters took 2 ½ hours Tashkent None 15-Jun-20
Tashkent (Cotton) to control a fire in a 3,500m2 Regional Cotton
warehouse. Cause unknown Terminal
69 Uzbekistan, Apparel Fire in a 1,200m2 sewing None 14-Jun-20
Andijan workshop destroyed reported
machines and raw material. -
13 fire crews attended.
Cause unknown
70 Vietnam, Hai Shoe Fire at a 5,000m2 factory Mai Huong None 12-Jun-20
Phong employing 300 workers. reported
Firefighters took over 2
hours to control it. Cause
unknown

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 71 Vietnam, Qui Textile 7 fire units and dozens of Saigon Max None 01-Jun-20
Nhơn (home) firefighters attended. Part of
factory & warehouse
collapsed. 2nd large fire since
2018. Cause unknown

3. Full Details

Below are full details of each incident, including links to original sources. Incident Number (#) in the
table below corresponds with the table above.

# Incident Details
1 Workers set fire to Hong Kong-based wig factory in Nilphamari: “Several thousand workers,
mostly women, of Hong Kong-based wig factory Evergreen BD Ltd in Nilphamari’s Uttara EPZ,
set fire to the factory and other infrastructures today protesting the “long-time oppressive
measures” of the factory authority.” Update: this story, in Bangla, says the police have
arrested eight people in connection with vandalism, arson and money laundering who
vandalised, burned and burgled the factory while protests where underway (27 Jun – from
The Daily Star). [Ed’s note: Evergreen Factory (BD) is a production unit owned by Evergreen
Products Group is a Hong Kong-listed company specialising in wigs, hairpieces, costumes and
so on. In 2016, the company was ranked fifth globally in synthetic hair goods sales.]
2 Fire breaks out in Cumilla EPZ: “A factory at Cumilla Export Processing Zone (EPZ) caught fire
on Saturday morning. The fire broke out at Itasia [sic] Interlining Ltd of the EPZ around
7:30am. Being informed, six units of fire extinguishers rushed to the spot and are trying to
put out the blaze” (20 Jun – from The Daily Observer). [Ed’s note: the company name is Etasia
Interlinings, a 100% export oriented manufacturer, with production capacity of woven
interlinings of about 72,000 meters a day, non-woven of about 144,000 meters a day and
polyester of about 48,000 meters a day. Clients claimed include Perry Ellis, Uniqlo, Gap, and
LPP.]
3 Fire at apparel workshop in Bogra: A fire occurred at Mum’s Tailor, an apparel workshop in
Bogra, after an electrical wire routed over the premises fell onto the roof. Locals were able to
put out the fire. There were no injuries (07 Jun – in Bangla from DeshSangbad).
4 Fire at bobbin factory in Khulna: Fire started on the first day of work after Covid-19
lockdown. Firefighters took 40 minutes to extinguish the fire (02 Jun – in Bangla from Dainik
Noapara).
5 Forest fire hits textile factory in Mairinque: A forest fire spread to a textile factory, burning
raw materials stored outside the facility fence. Nine fire trucks attended. Firefighters said the
building structure was undamaged. There were no injuries (21 Jun – in Portuguese from G1).
6 Factory fire leaves two dead and five injured in Nova Serrana: A fire in a factory in the city of
Nova Serrana, in the Midwest of Minas Gerais, left two people dead and five injured (one
unconscious with third-degree burns). Residents near the site told firefighters victims left the
factory running, some with their clothes alight. Three fire units attended. This story, in
Portuguese, says the factory was making shoes. This story, in Portuguese, says the cause of
the accident was most likely a gas cylinder explosion. This story, in Portuguese, says the dead
were 16- and 19-years-old respectively. The hospitalised employee was 18 and has burns to
90 per cent of his body (16 Jun – in Portuguese from Otempo). [Ed’s note: the name of the
company is Atacadão do Chinelo, and there is some dispute over whether it was legal
registered to conduct business at the premises in question.]
7 Bag factory hit by fire in Estância Velha: Firefighters attended a blaze in a handbag factory,
which started in a storage area for waste. The cause of the fire is unknown. No injuries
reported (12 Jun – in Portuguese from O Diáro).

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8 Fire hits apparel factory in Apucarana: Firefighters attended a major fire in an apparel factory
where employees were at work. Some fabric and machines were removed, but the fire
caused extensive damage. Cause unknown (11 Jun – in Portuguese from TN Online).
9 Fire at motorcycle boots and clothing factory in Siqueira Campos: A fire at a factory making
motorcycle boots and clothing for Pro Tork has caused structural damage to the building.
Employees were arriving on site as the fire started, and no injuries occurred. Firefighters took
six hours to bring the blaze under control. A short circuit is suspected (08 Jun – in Portuguese
from G1). [Ed’s note: Pro Tork is a major manufacturer of motorcycle accessories and parts
(including helmets). It also makes motorcycle boots, gloves, bike jackets and pants, and other
clothing items for on- and off-road bikers. See here for an announcement from the company:
“The facility, which produces off-road equipment, such as clothes and boots, was engulfed in
fire around 6:30 am, probably caused by a short circuit”.]
10 Fire at second-hand clothing warehouse in Veliko Tarnovo: A fire in a second-hand clothing
warehouse has burned around 30 tonnes. Five fire trucks responded. There were no injuries.
The fire is under investigation (08 Jun – in Bulgarian from DNES.BG).
11 Fire in Shaoxing chemical factory: A fire at Zhejiang Hengyecheng Silicone sent up black
smoke visible from kilometres away. Firefighters controlled the blaze in about two hours.
Personnel were onsite when the fire broke out, but there were no injuries. Cause of ifre is
undetermined (05 Jun – in Chinese from China.com). [Ed’s note: Zhejiang Hengyecheng
Silicone manufactures high quality silicone monomers as well as other downstream products,
which have a variety of applications, including for textiles. For example, one of the products
manufactured by the company is methyl hydrogen silicone fluid, widely used in the finishing
of all kinds of fibres such as cotton, hemp, silk, nylon, and polyester, and as a moisture-
proofing treatment for leather.]
12 Large fire controlled at textile factory at Obour: Five fire trucks were needed to control a fire
at a Obour textile factory, where machinery and fabric were destroyed. The cause of the fire
is unknown. There were no casualties (24 Jun – in Arabic from Sports News).
13 Fire at cotton mill in El Mahalla: Firefighters brought a fire in a cotton mill in El Mahalla under
control after nearby residents raised the alarm. An initial inspection found the cause of the
accident was a short circuit. There were no casualties reported (23 Jun – in Arabic from
Gulf365).
14 One injured at textile factory fire in Dakahlia: A worker was injured in a fire at a textile
knitwear factory waste storage facility. The 40-year-old worker was hospitalised. Four fire
engines attended. The cause of the fire is unknown (17 Jun – in Arabic from MENAFN).
15 Fire reveals illegal mask factory in Giza: Firefighters controlled a blaze at what they thought
was a chemical factory, but investigations revealed an illegal mask factory. This story, in
Arabic, says the factory was making masks from textile factories in violation of the law. The
government will be taking action against the owners (14 Jun – in Arabic from Sports News).
16 Large fire in Cairo apparel factory: Firefighters managed to control a large fire at an apparel
factory in Ain Shams, Cairo, located near residential housing. There were no injuries to
workers in the factory (09 Jun – in Arabic from Masr Alyoum).
17 Clothing warehouse ravaged by fire, city centre covered in thick black smoke: “A major fire
broke out Friday afternoon shortly before 5.30 p.m. in a clothing warehouse in Aubervilliers
(Seine-Saint-Denis) … A thick cloud of black smoke obscured the sky and was visible for miles
around … Fifty firefighters were mobilised with very substantial resources … The nearest
homes have been evacuated. At the present time there were no injuries … Almost every
month, a warehouse goes up in smoke in Seine-Saint-Denis. The last occurred on 18 May at
Blanc-Mesnil [see Incident #20 in the May report]” (05 Jun – in French from Le Parisien).

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18 Fire breaks out at synthetics unit in Ludhiana, no casualty reported: “A major fire broke out
at Sahib Synthetics situated near Jalandhar Bypass on Tuesday night, the police said. No
casualty was reported, but goods and machinery worth crores were gutted. Fire department
officials said that the fire may have broken out due to a short-circuit” (01 Jul – from the
Hindustan Times). [Ed’s note: Sahib Synthetics deals in cotton knitted fabrics, artificial fur and
bed sheets and blankets.]
19 Fireplace breaks out at Valsad rubber manufacturing unit, no casualties: “A significant
fireplace broke out at Dashmesh Rubber Industries at Sarigam GIDC in Valsad district on
Friday evening. No casualties have been reported and all of the labourers working on the
rubber manufacturing unit have been evacuated. Some components of the neighbouring
plastic manufacturing firm have been additionally broken within the blaze” (27 Jun – from
Star News). [Ed’s note: Dashmesh Rubber Industries reclaims rubber from tyres, producing
rubber sheets, crumb powder and so on, some of which is used in shoe sole production. In the
article linked above, a fire office said, “the corporate does strategy of melting the rubber half
from previous tyres and produces rubber sheet, utilized in footwear”.]
20 Fire in cotton factory due to short circuit: A cotton factory in Amroha caught fire, destroying
finished goods and machinery. There were no workers in the factory at the time. A short
circuit is blamed. There is no report of injuries (26 Jun – in Hindi from Dainik Jagran).
21 Fire in handloom factory due to short circuit: A fire in a handloom factory in Meerut that took
six fire engines and two hours to control has reduced goods to ashes. The cause of the fire is
believed to be a short circuit. There were no casualties reported (25 Jun – in Hindi from Inext
Live).
22 Massive blaze in Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation, Sanand: “A massive fire raged
on Wednesday in Ahmedabad’s Sanand estate of the Gujarat Industrial Development
Corporation (GIDC), engulfing an entire diaper making factory. No casualty has been reported
yet. Even after five hours the firefighters are yet to completely douse the flames, which razed
the entire plant and unit to the ground. A total of around 160-70 firefighters were deployed
to douse the fire, a senior fire officer said. The fire was reported from the Unicharm
Industries in Ahmedabad.” This article notes all 572 workers were evacuated safely. This
article says the fire continued to rage four days, and the cause may never be known (24 Jan –
from the National Herald). [Ed’s note: Unicharm Industries is a subsidiary of Unicharm, a
Japanese company with an international presence (mainly Asia). Unicharm Industries makes
and sells India’s No. 1 pants diaper brand MamyPoko, and Sofy, a sanitary napkin brand.]
23 Fire in Shahabad apparel factory: A fire broke out in the shirt-making factory damaging
machinery. A short circuit is suspected. There were no reported injuries (23 Jun – in Hindi
from Dainik Jagran).
24 Fire at woven carpet factory in Meerut: Firefighters extinguished a major fire after four hours
at a factory making woven carpets for Sharda in Meerut. The facility suffered major damage.
There were no reports of injuries. This story, in Hindi, says a short circuit is to blame (21 Jun –
in Hindi from Sanjeevni Today). [Ed’s note: Sharda is a major exporter of carpets, wall and
floor, and poufs and pillows. It supplies to department stores, designer brands, designers and
architects the world over.]

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25 Fire in Ludhiana garments factory, major mishap averted: “A major tragedy was averted with
timely arrival of fire brigade to control a blaze in a garment factory in Sunder Nagar on
Wednesday … As per information, the firefighters said that around 7.30am they had received
a call from Hiphop factory. The owner deals in manufacturing jackets. One of the factory
workers who informed the fire brigade said that it was around 7.15am and they had just
started working when there was sudden power cut along with a thud. They then noticed
smoke coming out of second floor of the unit and ran out immediately.” This article says a
short circuit is suspected (17 Jun – in Hindi from Amar Ujala). [Ed’s note: this article notes the
factory is situated in an area where hundreds of other units exist and that in the absence of
quick work by firefighters the fire could have spread to a much larger area.]
26 Fire in Surat textile factory: A fire broke out on the 3rd floor of the Anjani Industries textile
factory in Surat. Fewer workers than normal were in the factory at the time because most of
the workforce has not returned from their homes (due to lockdown). Six fire trucks attended.
A short circuit has been blamed for the blaze. No injuries reported (16 Jun – in Hindi from
Dainik Bhaskar).
27 Short-circuit fire in Shamli powerloom factory: A short circuit in a powerloom factory in
Shamli has destroyed all the goods stored onsite. The factory was closed at the time of the
fire due to lockdown. No injuries reported (16 Jun – in Hindi from Dainik Jagran).
28 Fire at fashion designer’s factory in Sector 3, no injuries: “A fire was reported Saturday
morning at the garment factory of a renowned fashion designer in [Noida] Sector 3. No
injuries were reported. At around 9.30am, a guard at the factory Rohit Bal Design Private
Limited at B block of Sector 3 saw smoke coming out of the second floor of the three-storey
building … The officials also said that the factory had not opened post the lockdown, which
helped prevent any injuries. It was scheduled to open on Monday and only a few staff was
around. The CFO said that the cause of the fire was unclear although police believe that it
could have been a short circuit on the main switch board” (13 Jun –from the Hindustan
Times). [Ed’s note: Rohit Bal is a high-end designer.]
29 Fire breaks out at shoe manufacturing factory in Delhi: ““The fire was on the first floor of the
factory at around 5:35 a.m. The affected area is 300 square yards. The total area is 600
square yards, and the building comprises a basement, ground floor, first floor, and second
floor," said Atul Garg, Director of Delhi Fire Services. A total of 11 fire tenders were rushed to
the site … no casualties have been reported” (13 Jun – from Business World).
30 Fire in a warehouse of leather bag factory in Bara Bazar: A fire broke out in the warehouse of
leather bag factory in a crowded area of Bara Bazar, Kolkata. The fire started on the 4th floor
of the building, and fire engines had difficulty in reaching the facility due to narrow lanes.
Four fire engines attended. One wall of the building collapsed. The fire is believed to have
started from a malfunctioning cooking stove. No injuries reported (12 Jun – in Bangla from Ei
Samay Sangbadpatra). [Ed’s note: see video of fire here.]
31 Factory fire burns raw and finished goods in Bahadurgarh: A fire at the Comex (कोमेक्स)
Footwear Company factory producing shoe soles has burned raw and finished goods. Two
fire tenders were mobilised and fought the blaze for two hours. (12 Jun – in Hindi from Amar
Ujala).

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32 Reactor blast, fire at Gujarat factory: 1 dead: “One person was killed and five were injured
after a reactor in a Gujarat chemical factory exploded in the early hours of Thursday, setting
off a fire and, subsequently, toxic fumes. The premises of Hemani Industries, which
manufactures pesticides and intermediate chemicals in Bharuch district’s Ankleshwar, have
now been shut down, officials said … Ankleshwar GIDC police said the mishap took place at
around 1 am when all the workers were present during their shift. Six of them suffered
severe burn injures as the hot toxic chemicals fell on them from the reactor. Their colleagues
rushed them to a hospital, where Bihar born Salauddin Shaikh (31) succumbed to his
wounds” (11 Jun – from The Times of India). [Ed’s note: the fire was at Hemani Industries, a
facility owned by the Hemani Group, a major producer of insecticides/herbicides and
intermediaries. For example, it produces the insecticide bifenthrin, which is used on cotton
crops.]
33 200 tonnes of cotton burned in cotton gin fire: A fire has burned 200 tonnes of raw cotton
(stored for the Cotton Corporation of India) at a cotton gin in Mukutban, Maharashtra. The
cause is reported to a spark from a machine (09 Jun – in Hindi from Amravati Mandal).
34 Labourer killed in Baddi textile unit fire: “A 19-year-old labourer, who had joined work on
May 28, was killed while two brothers were injured when a spark from a machine led to a
massive fire in the production area of [Winsome Textile Industries] … Prem Marandi was
buried under heaps of cotton in the production area, he died due to asphyxiation while two
other labourers suffered minor injuries and they were safely rescued … A case under section
304-A and 336 of the IPC has been registered against the factory management for causing
death due to negligence.” This story, in Hindi, says 200 people were at work when the fire
broke out (09 Jun – from The Tribune). [Ed’s note: Winsome Textile Industries is engaged in
spinning and dyeing business, with a spinning capacity of 106,000 spindles, a dye house with
capacity of 33 tons per day and seven tons per day knitted fabric.]
35 Fire in cotton gin and pressing operation in Ankhoda: A short circuit has been blamed for a
fire in a cotton gin in Ankhoda, Maharashtra. The gin was operational when the fire broke
out. Stored cotton was damaged. There were no reported injuries (08 Jun – in Hindi from
Nava Bharat).
36 Fire at cotton gin in Barwani: A fire at a cotton gin has burned cotton bales worth at least ten
million rupees ($132,000) (this story, in Hindi, says the damage was $264,000). Firefighters
from multiple towns joined to fight the blaze for more than 7 hours. The cause of the fire is
under investigation. No injuries reported (05 Jun – in Hindi from Dainik Bhaskar).
37 Two more die in Bharuch chemical factory blast, toll now 10: “The death toll in the chemical
factory explosion in Dahej, in Gujarat’s Bharuch district, rose to 10, with two more labourers
succumbing to their injuries on Thursday … [The government has closed] Yashashvi Rasayan
Private Ltd where the incident took place and also ordered an audit of all the factories in
Dahej … Officials said that 77 injured workers were admitted to various hospitals for
treatment. Of them, 33 have been discharged” (04 Jun – from The Economic Times). [Ed’s
note: Yashashvi Rasayan is a member of the Patel Group, and is a manufacturer of chemicals
(intermediates) used in the production of a range of herbicides and insecticides for
agricultural use. Some of the chemicals made on site can also be used in the production of
textile dyes. For example, as indicated here, Yashashvi Rasayan manufactures 4-chloroaniline,
“an intermediate in the production of several urea herbicides and insecticides (e.g., monuron,
diflubenzuron, monolinuron), azo dyes and pigments, and pharmaceutical and cosmetic
products.” Diflubenzuron (sold under trade names such as Dimilin) is a pesticide used to
control, among other insects, the Fall armyworm (which was found in Indian cotton crops in
2019 for the first time).]

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38 Fire at cotton warehouse in Indore: Firefighters had to demolish a warehouse wall to
extinguish a fire in a cotton warehouse. It took more than four hours to bring the blaze under
control. The reason behind the fire is not known yet. No injuries reported (04 Jun – in Hindi –
from Dainik Bhaskar).
39 Factory making shoe soles catches fire: A factory producing shoe soles caught on fire in
Jalandhar, Punjab. The fire was reported immediately and doused by fire fighters. A short
circuit is suspected (03 Jun – in Hindi from the Punjab Kesari).
40 Fire at dye house in Jamnagar: Firefighters were called to dye house in Jamnagar specialising
in sari dyeing. There was minor damage. A gas bottle leak caused the fire (02 Jun – in Gujarati
from Sanj Samachar).
41 Fire at thread winding factory in household residence: The fire broke out in the Shubham
Thread Mill warehouse, situated on the third floor of the owner’s household residence. The
fire brigade required two-and-a-half hours to douse the flames. The owner and his family
lived on the second floor, with the thread winding operations situate don the first. A
neighbour suffered minor burns while attempting to extinguish the fire. A short circuit
caused the fire (01 Jun – in Hindi from Dainik Jagran). [Ed’s note: Shubham Thread Mill –
despite the name – does not manufacture thread, it winds thread onto reels, as shown in this
video.]
42 Fire breaks out at a factory in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida, 16 fire tenders rushed to spot: “The fire
in the factory broke at night but its intensity increased on Monday morning forcing fire
officials to call for more help to control the raging inferno … The company’s name is [Radiant
Exports] which deals with manufacturing [and exporting home textiles, furnishing and
apparel].” This article, in Hindi, says it took 15 hours to extinguish the fire. The first, third and
fourth floors of the factory were gutted (01 Jun). [Ed’s note: Radiant Exports is a major
manufacturer and exporter of home textiles, furnishings and apparel globally with numerous
sustainability certifications and a client list including some of the world’s largest brands and
retailers, including Target, Zara, Walmart, Migros, and others. There were no reported
injuries and the cause of the fire is unknown.]
43 Garment warehouse fire in North Jakarta successfully extinguished: Allegedly due to an
electrical short circuit, a clothing label factory in a warehouse complex in Penjaringan, North
Jakarta, was hit by a fire. There were no fatalities in this incident, but the material loss of the
factory is estimated to reach billions of rupiah. 19 fire trucks were deployed (25 Jun – in
Indonesian from Antv Klik).
44 Fire in Jaten factory: A fire at the PT Hardo Soloplast factory has been blamed on a short
circuit. Four fire units attended and controlled the fire in about 10 minutes. There were no
injuries (07 Jun – in Indonesian from the Tribun Solo). [Ed’s note: PT Hardo Soloplast primarily
manufacturers polypropylene woven bags (e.g., rice bags), but it also makes multifilament
sewing thread.]
45 Spinning mill catches fire in Tehran: A fire in a large spinning mill has caused significant
financial damage, burning several warehouse sheds as well as the main production building.
There were no injuries. The cause of the fire is under investigation (27 Jun – in Persian from
Asriran).
46 Three firefighters injured in adhesive factory blaze in Qom: A large fire at an adhesive factory
on the outskirts of Qom has required 15 tenders and 114 firefighters to bring under control.
Three firefighters were injured and treated as outpatients at a local hospital. Financial
damage is estimated to be high. Cause of the fire is unknown. This story, in Persian, says the
fire was at a factory owned by the Sana Group (17 Jun – in Persian from IRNA). [Ed’s note:
the factory in question produces adhesives under the name of Estehkam, including a range of
industrial adhesives for shoe manufacturing. The company exports to the Middle East, Central
and South Asia, Eastern Europe, and so on.]

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47 Former partner sets fire to apparel factory in Barkan: After a fire caused significant damage
to an apparel factory in Barkan, the owner discovered signs the fire had been set
deliberately. The police subsequently arrested a former business partner who had filed a civil
suit against the remaining owner (16 Jun – in Hebrew from Posta).
48 Fire in Solofra tannery: 118 staff were evacuated after a fire started at a tannery in Solofra.
One worker was taken to hospital. The cause of the fire is unknown (26 Jun – in Italian from
The Wam).
49 Fire in Sesto industrial zone spreads to numerous Chinese-owned leather goods workshops:
A fire has consumed two large sheds in Sesto (near Prato) housing multiple small Chinese-
owned enterprises involved in making leather goods. 13 tenders were mobilised and 40
firefighters. 60 small family-owned leather goods (bags) were affected, with some sustaining
losses in the vicinity of 100,000 euros. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is
unknown (19 Jun – in Chinese from Sohu). [Ed’s note: this article, in Chinese, notes fires have
occurred at Chinese production sites in the area in: Feb 2019, Oct 2018, Oct 2017, Jan 2017,
and Dec 2013.]
50 Lightning suspected in Prato textile factory fire: A lightning strike responsible for an area-
wide blackout is the probable cause of a fire in a textile factory in Prato. Firefighters
controlled the blaze, and there were no injuries reported (08 Jun – in Italian from Tosca
Media News).
51 Fire at distribution centre for imported shoes in Busan: A fire broke out at a distribution
centre warehouse for imported shoes in Busan while three employees were at work. All
three were evacuated. Firefighters controlled the fire, but the buildings outer walls suffered
damage. The fire is believed to have started in a garbage pile outside the warehouse, which
spread to the building. There were no casualties (27 Jun – in Korean from The Dong-a Ilbo).
52 Major fire at a petrochemical plant in Yeosu: A fire broke out at Samnam Petrochemical in
the Yeosu Industrial Complex. It was extinguished by 300 firefighters in two-and-a-half hours.
The cause of the fire is believed to be a leak from a boiler. There were no injuries, although
three employees were in the boiler room where the fire started (23 Jun – in Korean from
TBS). [Ed’s note: Samnam Petrochemical is a joint venture between Samyang Holdings,
Mitsubishi Chemical and GS Caltex, and is one of the largest producers of terephthalic acid
(TPA) in Korea (1.5 million tonnes per year). TPA is the main raw material (a white powder)
used in the production of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the most common thermoplastic
polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in fibres for clothing (and other products
such as plastic bottles). This story, in Korean, notes Samnam had a fire in February 2017 in a
chimney.]
53 Fire at children’s apparel factory in Seoul: Firefighters extinguished a fire at a clothing factory
making childrenswear in Seoul in 20 minutes. There were no injuries. The cause of the fire is
unknown (19 Jun – in Korean from YTN).
54 Warehouse fire in Daegu badly injures employee: A 53-year-old employee has been
hospitalised after suffering 2nd degree burns to his entire body in a warehouse fire at a
company producing plastic packaging for socks. Firefighters controlled the fire. The cause is
under investigation (03 Jun – in Korean from Newsis).
55 Fire in garment factory in Hlaing Thar Yar: [Ed’s note: this report is based on one sentence in a
story about union-busting in the factory. Even the exact date is unknown.] “When a fire broke
out in the [Rui Ning] factory in mid-June, the workers were not evacuated but forced to
continue working” (01 Jul – in German from Nau.ch).
56 Fire in yarn factory: A fire in a yarn factory in Lahore caused damage to goods. The cause of
the fire was a short circuit. Rescuers say there were no casualties (24 Jun – in Urdu from
Dunya News).

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57 Fire erupts inside factory in Karachi’s SITE area: “Several fire tenders reached the spot to
control the fire after receiving information that a fire has erupted at a bedsheet
manufacturing factory … Rescue teams have labelled the incident as a third-degree blaze.
They said that eight fire tenders are being used to put out the fire.” This article, in Urdu, says
a firefighter was rendered unconscious due to suffocation. This article says it took 14 hours
to douse the flames. This article, in Urdu, says the fire was at Liberty Textile Mills (11 Jun –
from MM News).
58 Fire at illegal wallet factory in Lima: A medium-sized fire broke out on the third floor of a
residential building in which a wallet factory operated with no license (according to
neighbours). The factory was gutted. There were no injuries. The cause of the fire is
undetermined (08 Jun – in Spanish from La República). [Ed’s note: video of the fire here.]
59 Fire at recycled textiles warehouse: A fire in a 400m2 warehouse in Ivanovo was controlled by
firefighters in less than an hour. The warehouse stored recycled textiles. There were no
injuries. The cause of the fire is unknown (09 Jun – in Russian from News Ivanovo).
60 Roof collapsed in Ripoll textile factory fire: A fire in one of four warehouses at a textile
factory has resulted in a collapsed roof and wall. Eleven firefighting crews attended. There
were no injuries. This story, in Spanish, says firemen think lightning may have been the cause
(20 June – in Spanish from La Vanguardia).
61 Fire at dyeing factory in New Taipei City: A fire in a dyeing factory in the Three Gorges district
has burned around 650m2 of building and destroyed stored fabric. There were no injuries and
the cause is unkown (25 Jun – in Chinese from United News).
62 Major fire at label company in Tainan, two injured: A fire at Junmay Label (also trading as
Hemmay International) in Tainan has injured two employees and required 59 firefighters
using 26 trucks four hours to control. The injuries were minor cases of smoke inhalation, but
one was admitted to hospital for treatment. The fire started in a textile machine (18 Jun – in
Chinese from United News). [Ed’s note: the company goes under various names (Junmay
International Corp., Hemmay Label Manufacturing Corp., Junmay Label, Junmay Label and
Textile, and JML), and specialises in high-quality jacquard cloth labels and printed cloth labels
for clothes, shoes and bags, and jacquard tape, printing tape, and so on. Under the name of
Hemmay, the company produces woven webbing, and is the only factory of its type in Taiwan.
Junmay claims Nike, Adidas, Disney, Under Armour, Timberland, Mango, Walmart, New
Balance, Puma are clients.]
63 Farmers may be responsible for fire in hosiery raw material factory: It is thought a fire at a
hosiery raw material factory in Shetou may have resulted from nearby farmers setting off
fireworks to drive away birds. Firefighters attended and extinguished the blaze in 30 minutes.
Fabric was burned and three motorcycles. There were no injuries (03 Jun – in Chinese from
on.cc).
64 Fire in a garment factory in Sfax: Three fire trucks attended a fire at a garment factory in Sfax.
The cause of the fire has not been determined. No injuries were reported (16 Jun – in Arabic
from Jawhara FM).
65 Fire breaks out in two textile factory warehouses in Kahramanmaraş: A large fire attended by
114 firefighters broke out in two textile factory warehouses containing bales of cotton. No
injuries were reported (21 Jun – in Turkish from Milliyet). [Ed’s note: The Children of Fire
Initiative (Ateşin Çocukları İnisiyatifi) claims they set the factory on fire (in Turkish): “On
21.06.2020, a textile factory in [Kahramanmaraş] turned to ash. Although the fascist Turkish
press tried to hide the truth by saying the fire was suspicious, flames of revenge illuminated
the truth. We embrace our comrades who started the fire of revenge and freedom.” The
Children of Fire Initiative is affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a militant
political organisation involved engaged in armed conflict with Turkey for an independent
Kurdish state. The PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States,
the European Union, Australia, and Japan.]

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66 Fire breaks out in textile factory warehouse: A fire that broke out in the warehouse of a
textile factory in Niğde was controlled by units from various municipalities. This article, in
Turkish, says it took four hours to douse. No injuries. Cause undetermined (04 Jun – in
Turkish from Haberler).
67 A large-scale fire in Zaporizhia shoe factory: A large fire in a shoe factory owned by MIDA
required 60 firefighters to control. Cause of fire unknown. This article, in Russian, says two
firefighters were taken to hospital with suspected heat stroke (06 Jun – in Russian from 061).
[Ed’s note: the MIDA factory occupies two floors in the building, and produces shoes for the
domestic market. Video here show scale of fire.]
68 Cotton terminal warehouse burned out in Tashkent: A fire has burned out a warehouse
owned by the Tashkent Regional Cotton Terminal. Firefighter controlled the fire in around
2.5 hours. There were no injuries and cause is being investigated (15 Jun – in Russian from
Sputnik News).
69 Sewing workshop in the Andijan region catches fire: A fire in a 1,200m2 sewing workshop has
gutted the premises, damaging machines, raw materials and semi-finished products. 13 fire
crews attended. There were no reported injuries, and the fire is under investigation (14 Jun –
in Russian from Sputnik News).
70 Large fire at Hai Phong shoe factory: Dozens of firefighters brought a serious fire under
control in around two hours at the Mai Huong, a shoe company. The factory was 5,000m2
and employs 300 workers. There were no injuries reported and the cause is under
investigation (12 June – in Vietnamese from Báo Giao Thông).
71 Big fire at Saigon Max, over 300m2 of factory burned down: A fire at Saigon Max in Qui Nhơn
has destroyed a significant section of the factory and its warehouse. This article (in
Vietnamese) says seven units and dozens of firefighters attended. There were no injuries.
The cause of the fire is under investigation (01 June – in Vietnamese from Bao Moi). [Ed’s
note: this is the second large fire at Saigon Max. In March 2018, ten fire units and 70 firemen
attended a fire requiring two hours to douse (see story here, in Vietnamese). Saigon Max
makes seat cushions (e.g., rattan chair cushions) and outdoor umbrellas.]

-- Report Ends --

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