Fires were reported in several Dhaka areas, including Lalbagh, Sadarghat and Adabor, just after the New Year celebrations began when the clock struck midnight on Saturday and the world stepped into 2023.
However, the fires were extinguished before the Fire Service reached the spot. It could not be known whether they had been caused by sky lanterns or fireworks.
Lanterns were seen lying at different places in Fakirapool, Motijheel, Paltan, Malibagh and Shantibagh areas.
There were also reports of a power outage caused by a sky lantern in Adabor, Mohammadpur.
The Fire Service control room said several fires had been reported in Sadarghat and Lalbagh areas, but they had been put out immediately.
Besides, it was reported that a sky lantern had fallen on an electric wire in Adabor and caused a power outage, they said.
It could not be known whether these small fires had spread from lanterns or fireworks, they added.
Earlier, Fire Service chief Brigadier General Md Main Uddin requested the residents of Dhaka not to use lanterns to avert fires.
DMP Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq also urged all to refrain from using any kind of fireworks, firecrackers or sky lanterns on New Year's Eve.
However, defying the requests, people lit firecrackers and released sky lanterns in Dhaka and other parts of the country to welcome the new year.
