Army team at the scene of Sitakunda cotton warehouse fire
Bangladesh Army has joined Fire Service and Civil Defence in fighting the fire that broke out in a cotton warehouse in Chhoto Kumira area of Chattogram's Sitakunda around 10:30am this morning.
The blaze couldn't be doused even after over 10 hours, reports our Chattogram staff correspondent quoting the district administration officials.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Four special firefighting units of the army, led by Lt Col Mahmud, reached the spot around 9:00pm to assist the fire service, said Md Towhidul Islam, senior assistant commissioner of Chattogram district.
After visiting the spot, Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Abul Bashar Mohammed Fakhruzzaman earlier told reporters that eight units of the fire service were working for over eight hours but the fire is yet to be extinguished.
"We sought army assistance to douse the blaze," the DC added.
Abdul Hamid Miah, deputy assistant director of Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence, told our Chattogram staff correspondent that it will take time to douse the fire completely as it is a cotton warehouse.
"We are trying to control the fire by bringing water from a distance due to water shortage," he said.
The fire broke out at a big cotton warehouse rented by a company named Unitex Spinning Mills -- a yarn manufacturing company. Huge amounts of cotton are stacked inside.
This cotton warehouse is close to a private container depot called Nemsun Container Depot.
The cause of the fire and the extent of damage could not be ascertained immediately.
Meanwhile, the Chattogram DC has formed a 10-member probe committee to investigate the incident, said Towhidul Islam. The committee has been asked to submit the report in five working days, he added.
On March 4, seven people were killed in a massive explosion at the Seema Oxygen Plant in Sitakunda.
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