Family planning warehouse fire destroys huge birth control items

A huge stockpile of birth control materials including condoms was destroyed in a fire that broke out at the central warehouse of family planning department in Mohakhali of Dhaka early today.

Fire fighters brought the fire under control this morning after it originated at the tin-shed warehouse around 12:30am, Fire Service officials told The Daily Star.

Eleven fire fighting units brought the fire under control around 8:00am, a duty officer at Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters in Dhaka.

The reason behind the fire could not be known immediately, he added.

Some parts of the ceiling have already collapsed, said eye witnesses.

Meanwhile, Bangla daily Prothom Alo reported that the fire was not entirely doused as smokes were seen coming out of the site around 10:00am.

Fire fighters are facing a hurdle to douse the fire as there is a huge quantity of chemicals materials is in the warehouse, the Bangla daily said quoting fire service department officials.

Birth control materials including condoms are stored in three warehouses from where the items are supplied to rest of the country, Hanifur Rahman, additional director (drugs and store) told the daily.      

The fire was originated around 12:30am, Fire Service officials told The Daily Star.

“This is a tin-shed warehouse of the Family Planning department,” Borhan Uddin, officer-in-charge (investigation) of Banani Police Station, told The Daily Star.