A fire that broke out at Mansur Khan Plaza in Chawkbazar, Old Dhaka, was brought under control early Tuesday after nearly 12 hours of firefighting.
However, more than 28 hours after the fire broke out, smoke continued to billow from burnt goods as of 9pm Tuesday, with six firefighting units still working to extinguish it completely, Fire Service Media Cell official Anwarul Islam said.
The fire broke out at a warehouse on the sixth floor of the building in Chhota Katra, near AC Mosque, around 5:02pm on Monday. It was brought under control at 5:20am on Tuesday, but firefighters continued operations to prevent the fire from reigniting.
Firefighters are facing difficulties due to narrow lanes, a shortage of water and inadequate ventilation inside the building.
Glass from windows on the upper floors has also been seen falling intermittently.
Law enforcement agencies have restricted public movement by placing barricades on both sides of the road in front of the fire-hit building. Meanwhile, water is being brought in vehicles operated by the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) to support firefighting operations.
Fire Service shift in-charge and Senior Station Officer Ruhul Amin said on Tuesday afternoon that narrow lanes and water shortages were hampering the operation.
As the fire came under control, the number of firefighting units at the scene was reduced from 12 to six.
Firefighters work to prevent reignition
Fire Service and Civil Defence Assistant Director Kazi Nazmuzaman said the sixth floor of Mansur Khan Plaza housed 12 to 14 large warehouses, seven to eight of which had caught fire. The warehouses contained umbrellas, cosmetics, perfume bottles, attar and various other goods.
The large volume of stored goods has made it difficult to extinguish the fire completely, as the items must be removed, he said.
He added that nearby water reservoirs were running low, forcing firefighters to switch pumps and reservoirs and draw water from alternative sources to continue the operation.
Nazmuzaman said there was no longer any visible fire inside the building.
However, firefighters were removing fire-damaged goods and spraying them with water, causing smoke to emerge intermittently.
Firefighters are inspecting the warehouses one by one. The fire could not be fully extinguished until the stored goods were removed, as heat and smoke trapped beneath them could cause the fire to spread again, he said.
Fire Service officials said the large quantities of cosmetics, leather goods and chemical substances stored in the warehouses had prolonged the operation.
Regarding the damage, Nazmuzaman said the owners concerned would be able to estimate the value of the destroyed goods, adding that determining the total losses would take some time.
He said the market had not suffered as much damage as many people had feared. Three to four other markets are connected to Mansur Khan Plaza, and firefighters were working to prevent the fire from spreading to the surrounding premises.
According to Fire Service Media Cell official Anwarul Islam, six firefighting units were working in phases as smoke continued to rise from burnt goods. He said the authorities would be notified once the fire was fully extinguished.
Shahnur Alam, owner of a bag warehouse on the affected floor, said goods worth around Tk15-16 lakh had been destroyed.
Cause of fire remains unknown
Kazi Nazmuzaman said the cause of the fire could not be determined while firefighting operations were ongoing. An investigation committee would be formed to establish the actual cause.
He said none of the people questioned so far had been able to confirm how the fire started.
An electrical short circuit was a possibility because the building had electrical connections, but the cause would be confirmed only after an investigation.
The Criminal Investigation Department’s (CID) Crime Scene Unit reached the site to investigate the fire but could not begin its work because of excessive smoke and heat inside the building.
The fire broke out around 5:02pm on Monday and after receiving the report of the fire, the Fire Service dispatched six units-two from Lalbagh, two from its headquarters at Siddikbazar and two from Palashi.
As the fire intensified, the operation was expanded to 12 units, including a special response team and a lighting unit.
When firefighters arrived, they found heavy smoke and heat on the sixth and seventh floors. The warehouses on the sixth floor were secured with shutters and locks. Each warehouse had four to five locks, while the collapsible gates inside were also locked.
Firefighters had to cut through the locks while working amid intense smoke and heat. The fire was brought under control at 5:20am on Tuesday, but operations continued afterwards to extinguish it completely.
No casualties were reported. However, four firefighters fell ill from smoke inhalation and were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for treatment.
