Fire at Chawkbazar market under control after 12 hours battle

A massive fire that broke out on Monday afternoon at Manjur Khan Plaza Market in Old Dhaka's Chawkbazar was brought under control after nearly 12 hours. The Fire Service confirmed that the blaze was contained at 5:20 am on Tuesday (October 13). No casualties have been reported so far.

According to Fire Service sources, news of the fire on the sixth floor of the seven-storey building came in at 5:02 pm on Monday (October 12). Units set out at 5:04 pm, and the first team reached the scene and began work at 5:22 pm. Only a few units were working at first, but as the fire intensified, more units were added in stages. At one point, the fire also spread to a neighbouring building.

Fire Service officials said the narrow lanes of Old Dhaka kept large vehicles from getting close to the scene. Dense smoke and a shortage of water made matters worse. The godowns on the sixth floor were locked, so firefighters had to break the locks and cut through shutters to get inside, which slowed the firefighting further.

Eyewitnesses and locals said the building has shops from the second to fourth floors and godowns from the fifth to seventh floors. These godowns stored various goods, including vanity bags and cosmetics. It is believed that these flammable goods may have helped the fire spread quickly.

The Fire Service said all the goods on the sixth floor were destroyed. Two firefighters fell ill from smoke while battling the blaze and were taken to hospital. The agency added that the building's structural complexity and the narrow roads made the work even harder.

The exact cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are still unknown. The Fire Service said these will be determined through an investigation once the fire is completely extinguished.