DNCC mall fire: Investigators yet to determine cause of fire

Police and fire service investigators are yet to ascertain the cause of the fire that gutted Gulshan’s DNCC market two weeks ago.

They are not sure whether it was a mere accident or a deliberate case of arson, as has been alleged by traders.

A seven-member investigation team was formed by the fire service to determine the case of the blaze. A separate five-member probe was set up by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police to investigate whether it was a case of arson.

The fire service probe was given 15 days to submit a report, while the police probe was given a week's time .

But none of them have completed the investigation two weeks since the fire.

Asked about the report on Monday, Fire Service Investigation Team Member Secretary Shubhash Chandra Debnath told bdnews24.com: “It has not been possible to determine the cause of the fire yet. The fire service is continuing its investigation.”

Fire Service Director Mosharraf Hossain is leading the fire service investigation team.

The investigation team may ask for an extension of the deadline to submit the report.

“The investigation is taking time,” said Committee Member and DNCC Executive Engineer (Power) Md Rafiqul Islam. “Collecting various pieces of evidence is taking a while and so we may request an extension on the deadline.”

Everything will be clear after the report is published, Secretary Debnath hopes.

Traders with stores at the popular Gulshan-1 marketplace have alleged the fire is a case of arson.

A tender was floated in 2003 for building the Gulshan Trade Centre, an 18-storey structure, on the land.

But the highest bidder refused the contract and it went to the second highest, Metro Group’s Amin Associates Overseas Company, which signed the contract with Dhaka City Corporation then headed by Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka.

The deal said the eight lower levels would house shops. Office spaces were to be allotted from level nine to 14.

The undivided Dhaka City Corporation was to get 27 percent of the 2,024 shops in the trade centre. Amin Associates was to get 73 percent, and rake in profit by selling them.

Then during the past caretaker regime, the contract was suspended to increase the DCC’s stake . It was subsequently raised to cover 37 percent of the shops.

The traders allege the fire was started so that construction could proceed on the new building.

Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Annisul Huq dismissed the traders’ claims as propaganda.

After the allegations from traders, Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Police formed an investigation team led by Additional Commissioner Didar Ahmed.

Having failed to submit their investigation report within the deadline, the team has asked for a three month extension of the deadline , said Didar Ahmed.

“We have submitted a request for a three-month extension on the deadline,” the additional commissioner told bdnews24.com. “We cannot say how the fire started before we submit the report.”

Traders claim the fire has caused damage amounting to Tk 1.5 billion as it gutted 150 stores. Many have taken to setting up stalls on the road.

Approximately 600 stores selling fresh produce and other goods were operating in the market.

The fire service took over 24 hours to put out the fire, which has led to much talk.

Fire Service Director General Ali Ahmed Khan refuted the allegations of the fire teams’ negligence, claiming they responded as soon as they received news of the fire.

The fire service chief claimed that no fire prevention or fire extinguishing measures had been in place at the market.

Fire service officials said they had to enter each store by breaking the locks and that water sources were not available nearby.