The fire originated from a heating machine and spread fast to a warehouse of husk at about 3 pm on Saturday, said Tanharul Islam, a deputy director of the Fire Service and Civil Defence.  

Five units of firefighters from Rupganj, Demra and Narayanganj battled the fire at the plant in City Economic Zone for two hours and brought it under control at about 5 pm.

The burnt workers were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital’s intensive care unit in a “critical condition”, said Inspector Bachchu Mia, chief of the police camp there.

The victims, identified as Hazrat Ali, 50, Sirajul Islam, 60, and Belayet Hossain, 50, suffered burns on 90 to 99 percent of their bodies, according to Bachchu.         

The authorities were yet to assess the damage. No factory official could be contacted immediately for comment.