Patuakhali: Five shops were completely gutted in a devastating fire at Dhulia Bazar in Bauphal upazila here in the district. Locals said that the fire broke out around 3:00 am on Saturday night.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the shops that were destroyed include a pharmacy owned by Rakib Hossain, a tea stall of Sultan Melkar, a grocery and variety shop of Belal Melkar, a grocery shop of Amin Hossain, and a food hotel of Nayan Sharif. The fire is initially suspected to have originated from an electrical short circuit.
Locals rushed to the spot after noticing the blaze at midnight and attempted to extinguish the fire but failed, causing an estimated loss of Tk 30 lakh, according to preliminary assessment. Later, two units of Bauphal Fire Service reached the scene and brought the fire under control. By that time, the shops had already been completely turned into ashes.