A fire, that raged out through a chemical warehouse in Wari area of Old Dhaka on Wednesday morning, was brought under control after two hours of frantic efforts from firefighters.
The fire broke out in the chemical warehouse on the third floor of a 12-storey building at Hatkhola Road in Wari around 5am.
A firefighting unit rushed to the spot around 5:07am. The fire was brought under control at 7am, according to Talha-Bin-Zashim, station officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) headquarters.
The cause of the fire could not be known immediately, the FSCD officer added. Though no casualty was reported, a firefighter sustained cut injuries to two of his fingers while conducting the rescue operation.
The firefighters rescued 52 families from the residential-cum-commercial building when the fire broke out.
Md Saleh Uddin, Deputy Director of Dhaka, Fire Service and Civil Defence, said “All residents of the 52 residential flats were safely evacuated by firefighters.” He expressed concern over running a chemical business in a building which houses families, saying it put their lives at risk by ignoring fire safety rules.
Three floors of the 12-storey building are being used for commercial purposes, while the remaining nine floors house 52 residential flats. The fire officer vowed to continue drives against illegal chemical businesses in residential buildings.
He said there was no Data Reporting Service Provider (DRSP), which is a primary requirement to operate a chemical business. The DRSP helps determine the appropriate method to bring fires under control, he added.
