Fire fighters on Sunday completely doused the massive fire that broke out at the capital's New Super Market, adjacent to Dhaka College, around 5:40am on Saturday morning.
More than 27 hours after the fire was started, the Fire Service and Civil Defence members were able to extinguish the blaze, that devastated the three-storey building housing some 1,300 shops, at around 9am on Sunday.
Members of fire service and civil defence are now working to clear the debris. They said it took this long time to completely douse the fire due to the large number of flammable materials in the market.
Addressing on the development to the press, Assistant Director of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence Md Akhtaruzzaman Liton said, “There is now no fire left inside the Dhaka New Super Market.”
He further said they are doing the primary investigation and suspect that the fire originated on the second floor and then spread to the third floor.
According to the police sources, the shops on the eastern side of the New Market-Mirpur road resumed business yesterday afternoon whereas the New Market shops, after an announcement of indefinite closure, opened this morning.
Besides, the shops in Chandrima Super Market, adjacent to Dhaka New Super Market, also started sales since morning.
A total of 28 firefighting units and teams of the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force took part in the effort to douse the fire. The fire was brought under control around 9:10am yesterday.
Some 32 people, including firefighters, fell sick from the heavy smoke while firefighters were trying to douse the blaze.
Meanwhile Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal raised questions regarding the reason behind the sudden increase in fire incidents taking place late at night.
He made this remark while talking to the reporters after distributing Iftar items among the poor in Tejgaon area.
The home boss said fire incidents have been reported in various markets of the capital recently. People are questioning why the incidents only take place late at night.
Stating that all fire incidents have a reason behind them, the minister added that fire can originate from electrical issues, short circuits, or arson.
He further said, “but we are not sure yet”.
