At least 16 shops were gutted in separate fires in Chittagong and Narayanganj yesterday. The reason behind the fire in Narayanganj could not be determined yet, report our correspondents.
Fire Service and Civil Defence sources said a fire originated from an electric short circuit at a grocery shop in the Bakerali area of the city around 3:30pm. The flame engulfed the adjoining seven shops, leaving valuables worth Tk1 lakh burnt to ashes.
Receiving information, two fire fighting units from Bandar and CEPZ fire stations rushed to the spot and doused the blaze after a one-and-a-half hour attempt, said Deputy Assistant Director of Fire Service and Civil Defence Headquarters of Chittagong Md Jashim Uddin.
Earlier, another electric short circuit occurred at a medicine shop in the CEPZ area around 2am and burn down the shop. Medicines worth Tk2 lakh were gutted in the incident. Fire fighters from CEPZ fire station extinguished the fire within an hour.
Meanwhile, in Narayanganj, goods and property worth about Tk10 lakh were gutted when a fire broke out in seven tin-shed shops at Panchabati on Dhaka-Narayanganj-Pagla road under Fatullah police station yesterday.
Narayanganj Fire Service and Civil Defence sources said the shops were set up in the Panchabati Gafur Market area and the flame was extinguished within half an hour of the incident which originated at 2am.
The shops included confectionery, audio-video and mobile recharging shops. The cause of fire was said to have been an electric short circuit, sources reported. However, the local people claimed that the shops have been set up over disputed land and the incident might have been a deliberate one.