S Alam sugar mill fire still not doused after 27 hours

The fire at S Alam Refined Sugar Mills in Chattogram could not be doused even after 27 hours till the filing of this report at 7:00pm this evening.

The fire was brought under control around 11:00pm last night, reports our Chattogram staff correspondent.

Twelve fire engines were still working to douse the blaze, said Purna Chandra Mutsuddi, assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defence, Chattogram.

The fire razed through the factory's Warehouse 1.

"When fire breaks out at a sugar warehouse, it becomes difficult to extinguish completely," he added.

"When water is mixed with sugar, it creates carbon and oxygen, two components that help keep a fire ablaze," he said

"So, fire cannot be extinguished fully unless raw chemicals are not removed from the warehouse," he said.

In addition to extinguishing the fire, members of Karnaphuli Police Station and administration are working to ensure that the burnt sugar does not fall into the nearby Karnaphuli river.

The fire broke out at the S Alam Refined Sugar Mills in the port city around 4:00pm yesterday ruining a huge amount of sugar.

Members of the air force and navy also joined the efforts to bring the fire under control last night.