Firefighters douse flames at Chittagong Shopping Complex

A search team will go through the entire market, a fire official says

Firefighters have brought a blaze under control that broke out at the Chittagong Shopping Complex near the port city’s Sholoshahar Gate-2.

The fire was reported around 9:45am on Saturday on the ground floor of the market.

Five fire service units were deployed, and firefighters managed to contain the flames after about an hour of effort.

Following the incident, shop owners and employees rushed to the market premises.

However, they were barred from entering the ground floor as thick smoke had engulfed the area.

As Saturday was a weekly holiday, no customers were present inside the shopping complex at the time of the fire.

“We were able to clear smoke from one side, but this is a very long market. We will now try to clear smoke from another section,” Chattogram Fire Service Deputy Director Md Jasim Uddin said.

“There is still smoke inside. As the carbon content in the smoke is high, entry is not possible without breathing support. Our firefighters and officers are already inside and working.”

He added, “Now our search team will go through the entire market. They will check whether anyone is trapped or injured.”

“The search team will also verify whether there has been any damage beyond the two clothing shops where the fire reportedly started,” he said.

He could not immediately confirm the cause of the fire or how it originated.

Electricity to the shopping complex has been shut off since the fire broke out.