More than 100 houses, shops burn in 3 Gazipur colonies

More than 100 houses, shops and goods have burnt in a fire that engulfed three colonies in Gazipur’s Bhogra.

Gazipur Fire Service Assistant Deputy Director Abdullah Al Arifin said they were informed about the fire around 3am on Thursday through the national emergency number 999.

At least two units of firefighters from the Bhogra Modern Fire Station and Konabari Modern Fire Station started to douse the fire. They were able to tame the flames around 4am after an hour’s effort, Arifin said.

“Initially it seems the fire started from a glitch in the power line. Houses and shops in three colonies were burnt but no one was injured or dead,” he said.

Three owners had erected rows of tin houses and rented them out to people from lower-income groups. Those houses are known locally as colonies.

The colony owners said they built houses and shops on the land owned by local leader Nayeb Ali and his nephew Soleman Mia and rented them out. The owners lived there as well.

One of the owners, Mohammed Jahangir Alam, said that three shops, 31 houses and different products, including TVs and fridges, owned by him were burnt.

According to Jahangir, the fire was started at a tea stall owned by Mohor Ali and quickly spread across the colonies.

At first, colony residents tried to douse the fire by themselves. When the fire started spreading, they called 999 for help.

Abdur Rahman, another colony owner, said 70 of his houses and other goods were burnt. He also complained that the Fire Service was late in reaching the site.

Md Ruhul Amin, senior officer of the Bhogra Modern Fire Station denied the allegation and said it took some time to bring the fire under control due to the lank of water nearby.