In 2024, a total of 26,659 fires were reported across the country, 4,139 of which were caused by burning cigarette butts, according to a press release from the Fire Service released on Tuesday.
The Fire Service reported that there were 26,659 fires across the country, with an average of 73 fires per day.
These fires caused a total property loss of around Tk446.27 crore. The Fire Service said it saved properties worth Tk1,974.44 crore through fire-fighting efforts.
According to the report, 341 people were injured and 140 people lost their lives in fires. During firefighting operations, 37 departmental staff were injured and two lost their lives while engaged in fire-fighting and rescue efforts.
It added that unruly mobs vandalized 34 fire trucks and set eight vehicles on fire during the operations.
The Fire Service said that of the 26,659 fires, 9,069 were caused by electrical faults, 4,139 by burning cigarette butts, 3,056 by stoves, 789 by unruly mobs, 759 by children playing with fire, 735 by hot ash, 704 by gas cylinder leaks, 465 by gas line leaks, 44 by gas cylinder explosions, 455 by mosquito coils, and 64 by fireworks, sky lanterns, and crackers.
Regarding property damage, most fires occurred in residential buildings, with 7,131 incidents, accounting for 26.74% of all fires.
Other incidents included 4,513 in haystacks, 2,411 in kitchens, 1,887 in shops, 911 in markets, 481 in shopping malls, 494 in non-garment factories, 236 in garment factories, 211 in power substations, 153 in high-rise buildings, 150 in restaurants and hotels, 129 in government establishments, 126 in hospitals and clinics, 123 in jute warehouses and mills, 85 in religious institutions, 84 in slums, and 78 in educational institutions.
Regarding transportation, 268 fires occurred on vehicles other than buses, 114 on buses, 13 on trains, and three on launches.
In terms of monthly fires, February saw 2,737 fires, March 3,421, April 3,426, and May 2,686, making these four months the highest for fires, with an average of 102 fires per day. January saw 2,514 fires, July 1,427, and August 2,163.
A review of casualties showed that men made up a larger portion of the injured and deceased. Of the 341 injured, 237 were men and 104 were women, while of the 140 fatalities, 107 were men and 33 were women.
Fires in residential buildings resulted in 72 injuries and 36 deaths, gas cylinder explosions caused 53 injuries and eight deaths, and fires in restaurants and hotels led to 78 injuries and 47 deaths.
The Fire Service and Civil Defence rescued 156 injured and recovered the bodies of 750 victims through diving operations last year. They also rescued 303 animals, 50 birds, and 227 other creatures.
The Fire Service conducted 9,128 rescue operations across the country. At least 10,826 injuries and 2,437 fatalities occurred in these incidents. Among these, 6,408 were road accidents, which resulted in 9,319 injuries and 1,484 deaths.
To strengthen fire prevention, the Fire Service and Civil Defence conducted 147 mobile court operations, imposing fines of Tk2.58 crore on 149 establishments and filing cases against three.
In an effort to raise awareness, the Fire Service conducted 18,983 drills, 3,036 surveys, and 15,683 public awareness campaigns.
Additionally, 7,769 training sessions were held to educate 147,717 people on fire safety. In the garment sector, 3,921 training courses were held, educating 156,840 workers on fire safety measures.
