BSS, Chittagong :
At least 23 furniture shops and four dwelling houses were gutted in separate fire incidents at city’s Baluchhora and Bakalia areas on Sunday night and Monday.
Fire Brigade sources said 23 furniture shops and factories were gutted in a devastating fire in a furniture market at Baluchhora area under city’s Baziad Boastami thana around 10am today.
Frightened at the devastating fire, a Rabiul Alam, 60, who lived near the spot, died of cardiac arrest, police said.
The fire originated from electric short circuit and quickly engulfed the surrounding furniture shops and factories, said Mohammad Jasim Uddin, Deputy Assistant Director of the Fire Service and Civil Defence, Chittagong.
Six fire fighting vehicles from Agrabad and Baizid stations rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control after nearly five hours hectic attempt, he said adding that properties worth about TK 25 lakh were gutted in the fire.
In another incident, one Mohammad Azad, 21 was injured and four dwelling houses were gutted in a fire originated from electric short circuit at Hazar Road area under city’s Bakalia thana on Sunday night. A fire fighting vehicle from Kalurghat station rushed to the spot and extinguished the fire that burnt properties worth about taka four lakhs, fire service source said.
