Fire incidents across the country rose by 22.5 percent to 24,074 last year, compared to 19,642 in 2018, causing a loss of Tk 330.41 crore, says a government report.

One-third of the fire incidents -- 8,466 -- occurred at households mainly due to electrical short circuit, show data compiled by Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence.

Rapid urbanisation and careless use of electronic equipment are among the major reasons behind the rise in fire incidents, say officials. They have stressed the need for raising awareness among people to prevent it.

Terming the rise alarming, Fire Service Director General Brig Gen Sazzad Hussain said, “We didn’t conduct any research on why the number rose last year, but the difference is significant…”

In case of households, most of the fire incidents were caused by low quality electrical goods, he pointed out.

“We sometimes use several devices using a low quality multiplug. We even use the same electric cable, which may lose temper over time, for years.”

Of the fire incidents last year, 39 percent was caused by electrical short circuit and 18 percent by stove fire, said the report released recently.

The number of causalities also went up last year. At least 185 people lost their lives and 586 people were injured in fire incidents last year. The death toll was 130 in 2018.

Seventy people were killed in the Chawkbazar tragedy -- the highest in a single fire incident -- in February last year. Besides, devastating fire tore through FR Tower in the capital’s Banani, Bhasantek slum, a plastic factory in Keraniganj and a fan factory in Gazipur.

Sazzad said it is possible to bring down the number of fire incidents if electrical equipment is checked and replaced periodically.

“Developed countries maintain this practice regularly. We should introduce this system here,” he told this newspaper.

According to Bangladesh National Building Code, fire exit routes have to be designed in a way that they remain unobstructed. A building will have fire-rated doors and be connected directly to the road for easy access and exit.

The Fire Service DG said fire incidents have been rising due to a lack of awareness and also unwillingness to put in place fire safety measures.

“We must understand that these measures have to be taken for the sake of our life and property.”  

Thick smoke billowing from a building after a storage of plastic barrels caught fire yesterday afternoon in the capital’s Shyambazar. Fires in plastic factories and storage facilities in Old Dhaka have caused major tragedies in recent years. Photo: Rashed Shumon

 According to the Fire Service data, of the fire incidents last year, 4,153 were caused by burning cigarettes. This means fire from burning cigarette butts accounts for 15 percent of the total fire incidents, making it the third biggest cause of fire.

The report said fire originating from burning cigarettes caused damage to properties worth around Tk 18 crore last year.

It also mentioned that fire incidents increased more than thrice in the last 15 years.

The number of such incidents was 7,140 in 2004.

Last year, fire broke out in 997 industrial units and 165 garments factories. Besides, 174 fire incidents occurred in slums in Dhaka, Chattogram and Rangpur, show the data.

Asked about fire prevention, Sazzad said they regularly organise awareness programmes in various big establishments and also in slums.

“This year, we will intensify the programmes.”

He said they are keeping fire-fighting vehicles at major points in the capital to reduce the response time.

Talking to reporters yesterday, Motaher Hoshan Khan, president of Electronics Safety and Security Association of Bangladesh (ESSAB), said, “The government has taken initiatives to turn Sylhet and Chattogram into smart cities. But no such initiative has been taken for the capital.”

It is high time the government put in place a modern safety and security system to deal with fire incidents all over the country, he added.