Manikchhari Police Station was completely gutted in a devastating fire, what police said sparked from a short circuit, in Khagrachhari on Wednesday morning.
The police barracks, armoury, wireless operator room and the detention cell inside the police station were burned down in the fire.
Short circuit sparked the fire in the police station around 7am, Manikchhari police Officer-in-Charge Keshab Chakraborty told the Dhaka Tribune.
Losses incurred were around Tk1 crore, the OC added. The fire was brought under control after nearly about one hour of efforts.
The police station is located atop a hill in Manikchhari upazila, almost 70km from Khagrachhari district headquarters.
There are no Fire Service and Civil Defence station in this upazila, the OC said. Fire fighters had to arrive from adjacent Ramgarh upazila 50km away.
Fire first broke out in the barracks and soon spread to the armoury. The flames went out of control after the ammunitions in the armoury added fuel.
Most of the policemen were deployed on blockade duty, the OC said. Those in the police station came out after the fire broke out. No one was hurt.