Another fire crushes traders’ Eid hopes
Just 11 days after a blaze ripped through the Bangabazar shopping complex, another one yesterday gutted Dhaka New Super Market, causing losses to businesses and traders.
The back-to-back fires have brought forth concerns over safety regulations, as both the markets were marked "risky" by the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence. Both broke out during the month of Ramadan -- a peak time for businesses with the Eid-ul-Fitr coming up.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Add to that, the affected markets were among the top shopping destinations for people from the lower- and middle-income groups.
Around 5:40am yesterday, the fire service was informed about the blaze at Dhaka New Super Market.
Thirty units of firefighters rushed to the spot and managed to bring the flame under control after three and a half hours.
As of filing of this report around 8:00pm, they were still working at the site to douse the fire on the second floor of the market. However, no deaths were reported till then.
Maruf Hossain, convener of Dhaka New Super Market Beboshayee Samity (Dakshin), said that according to their primary assessment, around 500 shops were affected, of which 280 to 300 were completely burned down.
He added that products of around Tk 40-50 crore were sold every day during the last 10 days of Ramadan almost every year.
At least 29 people, including 14 firefighters, had fallen ill due to smoke inhalation, and were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment.
Of them, 14 were admitted to the burn and plastic surgery institute for extreme smoke inhalation.
Speaking to The Daily Star, injured firefighter Taufiq Elahi said, "We fell sick from the smoke and heat. We started watering and moved from the first to the second floor, where it was too hot and smoky."
Shanto, another firefighter, said, "I entered the second floor with an oxygen cylinder strapped on. At some point, the oxygen ran out and I fell sick. My colleagues had to rescue me and bring me to hospital."
Though no valid information regarding the source of the fire was given yet, traders and eyewitnesses said it started on the second floor and then spread from there. Around 8:30am, the third floor was ablaze.
Brig Gen Md Main Uddin, director general of Fire Service and Civil Defence, said the fire came under control at 9:10am.
"But it will take more time for us to douse it completely. We are giving utmost priority to recovering the traders' goods."
Asked if this fire, along with the previous ones, gives any hint of being "subversive activities", he said they would seek the assistance of the law enforcers for an investigation.
The DG, however, pointed out that such recurring incidents are mainly due to a lack of awareness.
Meanwhile, some traders of the market claimed the fire was caused by electrical works done on an adjoining footbridge before dawn.
Visiting the spot, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh said they are urging all intelligence agencies concerned to investigate if the fire was somehow an act of sabotage.
He also urged the media to play a responsible role in reporting whether the fire was part of any propaganda.
Terming the traders' claims baseless, DSCC spokesperson Md Abu Nasher said there was no scope to link the fire with the footbridge work.
Nasher, also public relations officer of the DSCC, said they had closed down the footbridge around a year ago because it was risky, but people continued to use it, and traders also set up stalls there.
Due to this, the DSCC appointed a contractor to work on separating the bridge from the first floor of the market on April 12. The work began around 2:00am yesterday and ended around 5:15am, he said, adding that the fire began around 10 minutes before 6:00am.
Nasher also said the spot of the fire was around 400 feet away from where the footbridge was being worked on, and no gas cutter was used there.
Dhaka Power Distribution Company officials were also present when the footbridge work was ongoing, he added.
On April 4, a fire broke out at the Bangabazar shopping complex, burning down around 3,000 shops and readymade garments.
Shop owners claimed that goods worth around Tk 1,000 crore were damaged.
Just a week after, on April 11, a fire broke out in a ceramics warehouse in the capital's Chawkbazar.
Then on April 13, a blaze in the capital's Nawabpur burnt down at least 20 warehouses.
POLICE SMELLS SABOTAGE
Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, inspector general of police (IGP), yesterday warned they will take stern action against anyone found involved in the recent fire incidents.
"We have recently noticed that there have been fire incidents in several markets in the capital. Police are investigating every incident thoroughly."
IGP Mamun made the remarks while addressing an Iftar and cash distribution ceremony for the poor and destitute, organised by the Bangladesh Shop Owners Association at the Shiddeshwari School and College ground.
He urged the association to extend a helping hand as many people have lost their jobs due to the fires.
Khandker Golam Faruq, commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, urged the same.
MARKED 'RISKY', NOTHING DONE
Along with Dhaka New Super Market and Bangabazar, many other markets -- Gausia, Mouchak, Rajdhani Super Market -- were all earlier identified and marked "at risk of fire hazards" by the Fire Service and Civil Defence, said Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, its director (operation & maintenance).
On April 6, the fire service, along with the National Security Intelligence and Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, conducted a drive in the Gausia Market, next to Dhaka New Super Market, and announced it was risky.
Md Bazlur Rashid, assistant director of the fire service, during the drive said though there were some fire extinguishers there, proper fire safety systems were absent.
He pointed out that many staircases were blocked as goods were either kept right at the mouth of those or makeshift shops occupied the spaces. "In any market, this could hamper smooth evacuation during fire incidents."
A DSCC official yesterday told The Daily Star that during earlier drives, they repeatedly asked traders to make sure goods were not kept in front of the stores or in the lobbies of the markets.
Lt Col Md Rezaul Karim, director (training, planning and development) of the fire service, said that along with the sub-shops in the corridors, banners and posters are also hung all over inside the markets, which helps the fires spread.
He added, "The fire has not yet been fully extinguished [till 9:40pm]. Twelve of our units are still working and will do so until it is completely put out."
Meanwhile, it was announced that Dhaka New Super Market will remain closed until further notice.
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