A devastating fire broke out at Jamal Complex in Hnila Station of Teknaf Upazila under Cox’s Bazar district on Tuesday, destroying at least 10 shops, including Walton and Vision showrooms, and leaving at least 20 people injured.
According to locals, the fire broke out around 8pm at the commercial building located along the Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf highway.
Witnesses and locals said the flames spread rapidly, triggering panic throughout the complex and surrounding business establishments. Traders and local residents rushed to remove goods from the shops in a frantic effort to save their property, while many others joined efforts to control the blaze.
At least 20 people were injured while attempting to extinguish the fire. The condition of two of them was reported to be critical.
Preliminary reports suggest that the fire may have originated from electrical wiring work being carried out at Cheher Miah’s paint shop inside the complex. The flames quickly spread to adjacent shops. However, the Fire Service said the exact cause of the fire could only be confirmed following a thorough investigation.
After receiving the information, a unit from the Teknaf Fire Service rushed to the scene to battle the blaze. Due to the severity of the fire, two additional units from Ukhiya and Ramu later joined the operation.
Firefighters, assisted by local residents and traders, worked together to bring the fire under control.
Nurul Azim Sohail, a local resident, said, “A person named Abdul Malek owned Walton and Vision showrooms on the second floor of the complex. Both showrooms, along with several other businesses, have been severely damaged in the fire.”
He added that the complex also houses a branch of Grameen Bank, paint and hardware shops, and various other business establishments. At least 10 shops on the ground floor were completely burnt.
Teknaf Fire Service and Civil Defence Station Officer Sajjad Hossain Chowdhury confirmed that initial reports pointed to Cheher Miah’s paint shop as the source of the fire.
He said fire crews worked tirelessly to control the blaze. The Teknaf unit initiated the operation, which was later reinforced by units from Ukhiya and Ramu.
The fire was brought completely under control around 12:30am, the station officer added.
He noted that the exact cause of the fire and the actual extent of the damage would be determined following an investigation.
Meanwhile, local traders claimed that the fire caused damages worth around Tk10 crore to Tk12 crore. However, an official estimate of the total loss is yet to be made.
