The fire at New Supermarket had spread quickly due to the posters of merchants association polls throughout the market, Fire Service and Civil Defence have said.
The entire market was covered with banners and posters for the election, Lt Col Md Rezaul Karim, director (Training, Planning and Development) said during a press briefing at around 8:30pm on Saturday.
“The fire safety system of the market was very weak. The traders allotted a shop from the city corporation and put up two to three more sub-shops in the corridor. Due to this the corridors became very narrow and fire spread from one shop to another through clothes,” the official said.
Besides, the fire spread quickly due to the false roof of the market, plastic items and banners-posters of the election, he added.
The official later urged everyone to not use these kinds of posters and banners as they are prone to fire hazards.
“The fire could not be fully extinguished yet, but there is no threat of severe accidents now,” he added.
Twelve units of fire service are still at the site to douse the flame that took place at around 5:40am on Thursday morning.
The firefighters who are working at the site and inside the market, are reportedly falling ill due to the extreme heat and smoke.
The second and third floors of the market have been destroyed the most by the massive fire, and traders were seen trying to collect whatever they can from the gutted shops.
The devastating fire that broke out at the three-storey market early Saturday destroyed over 1,000 shops.
