At least 270 businesses were gutted in a devastating fire at a supermarket in Barguna Municipality. The fire broke out around 11 pm on Tuesday (May 18).
Local traders said the fire started at around 11pm from a clothing and net shop in the market. At that moment, it spread to the surrounding businesses. Five units of the fire service tried to control the fire for two and a half hours. However, 270 business establishments and some houses of the market were burnt in the fire. My electronics store is on fire.
Saidi and Naeem, cloth sellers in the municipal market, said, "We had clothes worth Tk 10 lakh in our shop." Nasir Uddin, president of the market, said, "The whole of their market was burnt in the fire." No one could save anything.
Jahangir Ahmed, deputy assistant director of the Barguna Fire Service Station, said two units in Barguna, one in Betagir, one in Amtali and one in Patuakhali's Mirzaganj were involved in the fire.
The fire is now under control after an effort of about two and a half hours.
He added that the fire service was working to find the source of the fire. The fire damaged about 260 shops. However, the damage has not been determined yet. Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Barguna Sadar Police Station Ali Ahmed said police rushed to the spot and assisted the fire service in maintaining security and controlling the fire. Several locals, including a volunteer, were injured in the blaze. They are being rescued and treated.
