An elderly man was charred to death in a fire that broke out at a house in the Dhumpara area of Middle Halishahar in Chattogram on Wednesday. Meanwhile, a total of 150 shops were gutted in a fire at a cloth market of the Municipal area in Barguna in Tuesday night, reports bdnews24.com.
In Chattogram, an elderly man has died and several mud houses burnt after a fire broke out at a slum near the Chattogram Export Processing Zone.
The blaze broke out at 11 am on Wednesday in the Dhumpara area near Kalshi Dighi, according to Md Farooq Hossain Sikder, assistant director of the Department of Fire Service and Civil Defence in Chattogram.
"An elderly man known as Abdul Karim died in the fire. Locals told me that he was a hundred years old and had hearing and visual impairments," Farooq said.
"We have recovered his body."
As many as 13 units from three fire service stations worked for 1.5 hours to bring the fire under control.
Farooq said mostly low-income people lived in the area and a lot of mud houses were burnt down in the flames.
Authorities have yet to determine exactly how many homes were lost to the fire.
In Barguna, at least 150 shops and businesses have been burnt down after a devastating fire ravaged a municipal market in Barguna.
The flames broke out at a clothing shop in Barguna at 11 pm on Monday from and spread to the rest of the market.
Eight units of the local fire service worked for 3 hours to douse it, according to Md Zakir Hossain, deputy assistant director of the Fire Service and Civil Defence for the Barguna and Patuakhali zone.
"The fire was out of control before we realised anything had happened. My electronics store burnt down to ashes," said Abdul Manna, a local businessman.
He said the market housed shops for mobile phones, electronic devices, fishing nets, clothes, and cosmetics and had barbershops, tea stalls, and smithies. He said that at least 150 shops have been gutted in the fire.
Naim, a seller at a garment shop, said he had garments worth Tk 1 million in his shop and lost all of it in the flames.
Barguna Municipal Mayor Advocate Kamrul Ahsan Moharaj said he believes the total loss sustained in the fire will surpass Tk 600 million.
Fire service officer Zakir said their team is probing to determine the total financial loss.
Ali Ahmed, chief of Barguna Sadar Police Station, said locals and volunteers came forward first to bring the flame under control.
"At least 15 people were injured in the efforts and were given first aid afterwards", he added.
