Brigadier General Md Main Uddin, director general of Fire Service and Civil Defence, today said the frequent fire incidents in the city markets should be investigated to know the exact reasons behind those.
"Traders are suffering tremendous losses due to fire incidents in various markets just before the Eid... We would request the law enforcement and intelligence agencies to look into the matter as to whether these fire incidents are accidents or sabotage," he said at a press briefing in front of the New Super Market gate-4 this afternoon.
"The fire has been brought under control after three and a half hours efforts. Thirty firefighting units brought the blaze under control and they are still working to douse it completely," the Fire Service DG added.
While answering the queries of the newsmen, he also said that at least 35 persons including firefighters, air force and BGB officials and volunteers, were injured in the blaze and they were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
However, the exact reason behind the fire and actual amount of the damage could not be known immediately, Brig Gen Main Uddin said.
Black smoke filled the air as the pre-dawn fire engulfed the New Super Market in the capital, forcing the Fire Service to mobilize 30 of their units at the scene with military, paramilitary and police joining their hands to extinguish the blaze.
Fire service officials said the incident was reported to them at about 5:40 am and they immediately sent the units to the scene, one after another.
TV footages showed army, navy, air force and paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel along with police joined hands to help the fire fighters while businessmen rushed to the market in their apparent futile efforts to save their belongings at the shops.
The Fire Service could not ascertain immediately what might have caused the fire but the incident came just 11 days after a pre-dawn blaze in a near identical manner that broke out and burned several thousand shops at Dhaka's Bangabazar clothing market.
The Bangabazar fire devastated the shop owners by the loss weeks ahead of the Eid since efforts of hundreds of firefighters and army personnel could do little to save their belongings as the inferno tore through the clothing market, turning it into a pile of ashes.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha