Sylhet Bureau :
Fire incidents have reached an alarming rate in Sylhet this month. These accidents happen every year. Many people are losing their lives prematurely in these incidents. Again, many are injured and crippled for life. The injured are living a miserable life due to loss of performance and burden of family. However, there is no step to prevent these unintended accidents.
Concerned sources said, most of the fires in Sylhet are due to electrical faults and lack of public awareness. Negligence in the use and maintenance of faulty electrical equipment leads to disaster. In addition, the fire service personnel could not carry enough fire extinguishers as the road connecting to the main road in the city is short. Fire damage is increasing in most areas as there are no roads for fire service vehicles.
Recently, there has been an alarming fire in Sylhet. Last Saturday, a fire broke out from a gas stove in a colony in the Mohana residential area of Goabari in the city. An old woman named Shobha Rani Chand (60) died after being burnt in this horrific fire. Another child was burnt.
It is learned that a fire broke out from a gas stove in a colony in Mohana residential area of Goabari around 3:30 pm on Saturday. The colony is owned by Mirza Jamal Pasha, a former commander of the Sylhet District Freedom Fighters’ Parliament.
Upon receiving the news of the fire, four units of the fire service went to the spot and brought the fire under control. However, before the fire service reached the spot, 6 houses were reduced to ashes in the fire. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of Sylhet Metropolitan Police BM Ashraf Ullah Taher said the fire caused an estimated loss of Tk 6 lakh.
In Goabari, a horrific fire broke out in the Jail Road area of the city without cutting off the flames. A fire broke out in a furniture factory on Sunday night, burning down three factories and 12 houses in the slums. However, no casualties were reported. The fire broke out at around 9 pm while welding at Murshed and Shakil’s steel furniture factory near Jail Road in the city.
Citing locals, firefighters said a fire broke out at night while welding at a factory inside the settlement. With a furniture godown next door, the blaze quickly spread to nearby factories and homes. Due to the lack of water sources in the area and the narrow roads, the fire service personnel have to suffer a lot. After about an hour it was possible to put out the fire.
Earlier, on February 28, a terrible fire broke out in an oil shop in South Surma. The cylinder exploded with a loud noise from the fire. The fire spread and another shop next door was burnt to ashes. At this time, the oil tank in front of the lorry caught fire and took a terrible shape. The incident took place at Babna Point in the city around 10 pm on the same day. After receiving the news, the personnel of 6 units of the fire brigade managed to bring the fire under control after trying for about an hour.
Upon receiving the news, 4 units of fire service from Taltola of Sylhet city and 3 units of South Surma reached the spot and tried to bring the fire under control. However, when the curious people obstructed the road, the activities of the fire service were disrupted. Police later removed the crowd from the road.
Sanaul Haque, deputy director (CD) of Fire Service and Civil Defense Sylhet, said six units were working to put out the fire. An LPG gas shop caught fire from a cylinder explosion and burned another shop nearby. The trunk lorry standing in front also caught fire at that time.
He said the most feared reason was that there was a risk of extensive damage as there were depots of Jamuna, Meghna and Padma companies nearby. That is why the cantonment unit is called even after working 6 units. After the fire was brought under control, they were turned away from the path.
And on February 9, a terrible fire broke out in a clothes shop in Zinda Bazar of Sylhet city. The fire broke out at 10:50 pm on the Blue Moon cloth showroom near Zindabazar Point. Upon receiving the news, the fire service brought the fire under control. However, the cause of the fire could not be ascertained.
The fire service initially assumed the fire started from the AC. According to eyewitness sources, a fire broke out in the showroom of Blue Moon at 10:50 pm. Instant fire spread throughout the store. The fire spread from the showroom downstairs to the two-story godown. It burns ready-made clothes. The people in the shop and the surrounding area tried to put out the fire but failed. Upon receiving the news, two teams from Sylhet Fire Station came to the spot at 11 pm. They brought the fire under control after trying for about half an hour.
Earlier, on January 26, a fire at a pharmacy in the city’s Chauhatta caused a loss of crores of rupees. All the goods of the pharmacy were burnt in the fire. The fire broke out at Unique Pharmacy in Chauhatta around 3:15 pm on the same day.
Belal Hossain, a senior station officer at the Sylhet Fire Service and Civil Defense, said three units of the fire service arrived at the scene at 3.25pm on hearing of the blaze. After an hour-long effort, firefighters were able to contain the blaze. He said it was initially thought that the electrical outage could trigger a fire.
Assistant Director of Sylhet Fire Service and Civil Defense Mohammad Safiqul Islam Bhuiyan said the fires were caused due to unawareness of people, lack of fire extinguishing system, use of faulty electrical equipment and negligence in maintenance. I am in transition from these
