30 firefighting units, armed forces bring New Super Market fire under control after 3.5hrs
A massive fire that broke out at the New Super Market shopping mall adjacent to the capital's Dhaka College on Saturday (15 April) has been brought under control. The three-storey building houses some 1,300 shops.
The fire, which started at around 5:40am this morning, was brought under control after three and a half hours at 9:10am, Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General Brigadier General Md Main Uddin told reporters.
Heavy smoke and a growing crowd of onlookers have been reported to disrupt firefighting and rescue efforts, confirmed Fire Service and Civil Defence.
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19 people, mainly fire service officials, have been hurt in the fire. They are currently undergoing treatment at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH)
A Total of 30 firefighting units and firefighting teams of the Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force are currently working to douse the blaze.
A special team of the fire service with specialised equipment was seen entering the market to control the spread of the fire.
Also, a helicopter bucket of the Air Force was seen carrying water from the Dhaka College pond to fight the blaze.
As many as 12 Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) platoons and 17 Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) units (both uniformed and in plain clothes) along with members of Bangladesh Police are working on the spot to maintain traffic, law and order as well as to help the firefighting efforts.
Meanwhile, the traders of the New Super Market have expressed fear that their goods will get stolen, like what happened earlier this month in Bangabzar, if the affected area is not protected and maintained properly.
Many of them were seen evacuating the establishment carrying goods on their heads in large sacks to rickshaw vans and other modes of transportation.
Speaking with The Business Standard, Mohammad Solaiman, who owns shops on the third floor of the market said, 'We have total 12 shops at the New Super Market. We sell shirts, pants and other clothing items. All of them are located on the south corner of the shopping centre, exactly where the fire originated."
"I had kept Tk1 lakh in cash inside my shop after making sales till 3am this morning. Eid-ul-Fitr is just right around the corner. We were all set to meet Eid demands. I guess everything has been gutted in the fire," he added while wiping away his tears.
This is the second major fire incident at a shopping location in the capital in the last two weeks. On 4 April, a deadly fire burned the Bangabazar Shopping Complex to the ground.
