Chittagong warehouse fire: Army assists in extinguishment

The Bangladesh Army has started assisting firefighters to bring the fire that broke out at a cotton warehouse in Chittagong's Sitakunda early on Saturday.

The team arrived at the scene on Deputy Commissioner Abul Bashar Mohammad Fakhruzzaman's request.

As the fire had not been brought under control after nearly 8 hours, the deputy commissioner sought assistance from the general officer commanding (GOC) of the Bangladesh Army's 24th Infantry Division and the area commander of Chittagong. 

Officials from different government agencies, including police and other fire departments, have remained on the scene under the direction of the deputy commissioner.

Abul Bashar Mohammad Fakhruzzaman said the fire service is working hard to get the blaze under control. 

“They struggling to douse the fire due to a lack of water supply. We have requested help from the Army's Chittagong GOC. If required, we will collaborate with Bangladesh Air Force, and Bangladesh Navy. I believe the fire can be brought under control soon,” he added.

The Bangladesh Army assisting firefighters to bring the fire under control Focus Bangla

On Saturday, a fire broke out in a cotton warehouse in front of Nemson Container Depot in Bara Kumira, Sitakunda upazila. 

The incident was reported at around 10:25am.

According to district administration officials, the Unitex factory, which is owned by SL Industrial Group, rented the privately owned warehouse.

Meanwhile, the Chittagong district administration formed a 10-member committee to investigate the fire incident, led by Badiul Alam, deputy director of the Local Government Division, said Touhidul Islam, NDC of Chittagong district administration on Saturday.

The committee consists the district superintendent of police, the industrial superintendent of police, members of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, the DIG of the Directorate of Inspection of Factories and Establishments, the Sitakunda upazila nirbahi officer (UNO), the OC of Sitakunda police station, officials from the Bangladesh Textile Mills Corporation (BTMC), the Explosives Department, and Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA).