There have been almost 600 fire incidents in Narayanganj district last year which claimed the lives of at least 39 people, a government survey has revealed.
According to the survey by the district Fire Service and Civil Defence, goods and valuables worth around Tk8 crore were gutted in as many as 594 cases of fire in 2020.
Fire service officials outlined electrical short circuits and cooking gas line and cylinder leaks as two of the major reasons behind the frequent fire accidents.
According to investigations carried out by the government department, among all the fires 217 were due to electrical short-circuits and another 94 originated from gas stoves due to leaks in supply pipes and cylinders.
The general lack of awareness and knowledge on fire safety also fuels the staggering number of fires and casualties across the district, added the officials.
Abdullah Al-Arefin, deputy director, Narayanganj Fire Service and Civil Defence, said: “We often find the use of old and worn out electrical wirings at the scene of a fire accident. Also, in many cases, we find the number of electrical connections from a single power supply to be beyond its capacity. These are some of the major reasons behind frequent short circuits due to fluctuating voltages that can lead from small sparks to devastating fires.
“Similarly, the use of old and worn out cooking gas lines and cylinders tend to develop leaks. When gas leaks and accumulates in the kitchen, a small spark is enough to set off a deadly explosion.”
“We are working on the ground to raise awareness. We are holding training workshops at local markets on how to avoid such accidents. We have been advising households to keep the kitchen windows and doors open for a while before starting the stove.”
He added that gas lines should be maintained at regular intervals and replaced if there is a leakage and in the case of cylinders, they should be checked every 6 years.
On September 4, 2020, a series of explosions triggered a fire at the Baitus Salat Jame Mosque building in the West Talla area, claiming the lives of 34 people.
The mosque had an illegal electricity connection and multiple leaks in the underground gas pipeline at the time of the accident.
Fires in Bangladesh
Fires are common in Bangladesh and claim a number of lives every year.
In 2018, the country witnessed 8,461 cases of fire in residential buildings, the majority in Dhaka Division, according to a report by Dataful, an online database.
In 2019, a fire in Old Dhaka killed as many as 70 people, while a blaze at Banani’s FR Tower claimed 26 lives.
Experts have urged the government to focus on urban planning and form a committee on fire safety. They have also recommended an immediate halt to the construction of "risky buildings."
