100 shops gutted in Ctg market fire

Over a hundred shops were gutted in a fire that broke out at Jahur Ahmed Market in Chattogram city’s New Market area early today.

Two people were also injured while trying to save materials of their shops from the fire, our Chattogram correspondent reports quoting Jashim Uddin, deputy commissioner at Agrabad Fire Service and Civil Defence.

Photo: Rajib Raihan

The fire broke out at the market around 3:00am, which was brought under control after two and a half hours of frantic efforts by 15 firefighting units, the fire service officer said.

Most of the shops in the market were of mattress materials and cloths which is why the fire spread more quickly, Jashim said adding that the origin of the fire and amount of damage could not be determined yet.

Photo: Rajib Raihan

The market also did not have any fire dousing equipment and the shops are situated very close to each other leaving only narrow lanes to go through them, that’s why it took more time than usual to bring the fire under control, the official added.