Keraniganj: Firefighters brought a devastating fire at the 10-storey Jamela Tower in Keraniganj’s Babu Bazar area under control around 12 hours of frantic efforts.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the fire was finally contained around 5:03 pm today with the deployment of 21 firefighting engines, confirmed by Talha bin Zasim, media officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD). The fire broke out early in the morning and was reported to the FSCD at 5:37 am. Firefighting units reached the scene within eight minutes of the alert, but operations were severely hampered because the basement, shared by several interconnected buildings, has only two entrances.
During the operation, many shops on the lower floors were locked and shuttered, which further slowed the firefighters’ efforts to reach the source of the blaze. A total of 21 firefighting units from Keraniganj, Sadarghat, and Siddiq Bazar fire stations were deployed to bring the fire under control. FSCD media officer Anwarul Islam stated that 45 people were rescued safely from the building, and no casualties were reported.
The fire originated on the ground floor around dawn. The first and second floors of the mixed-use building house garment shops and small jhut (garment waste) godowns, while residential units are located on the upper floors. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel were deployed at the site to maintain law and order, manage crowds, and ensure the smooth movement of emergency responders, as stated by BGB public relations officer Shariful Islam.
The cause of the fire could not be determined immediately. Fire service officials mentioned that a detailed investigation will be conducted after the situation is fully brought under control.