Multiple accounts of what caused Wednesday's fire at Chawkbazar have been put forth by different quarters. Visiting the fire-ravaged area, Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun yesterday said a gas cylinder blast initiated the flames. He also stressed the fire “had nothing to do with the chemical business” in the area. “This is a gas cylinder blast. LP gas, which was being delivered to meet the [utility] gas shortage in the area…” he told reporters. He added that those who have been blaming the chemical warehouses “have got a very wrong message.” However, Brig Gen Ali Ahmed Khan, director general of the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence, said the cause of the fire was not known yet. Read More An ever-looming danger Chawkbazar fire: Rescue called off; death toll 70 He added that the inflammable perfumes and cosmetics that were in a warehouse on the second floor of the building caused the fire to spread. That was why it took hours to put out the blaze. There are thousands of chemical warehouses in old Dhaka, most of which are in residential buildings. According to the fire service, only 2 percent of these warehouses have the city corporation's permission. The minister told reporters that after a gas cylinder exploded, an electric transformer unfortunately caught fire. “There was a warehouse of perfumes and cosmetics [in the worst affected building] but no chemicals…” The fire left the five-storey Hazi Wahed Mansion almost completely charred. Several firefighters, however, said they were yet to find any evidence suggesting that a gas cylinder had exploded. Several locals said the fire might have started following an explosion near a pick-up. Abdul Rahim Babul, a resident of the area, told The Daily Star that he had heard a loud bang while going home around 10:40pm. He thought the sound came from a pick-up. “Within minutes, I saw small perfume bottles flying out of Hazi Wahed Mansion…They looked like firecrackers,” he said. The roads in the area and the rooftops were littered with deformed spray cans of mostly deodorants, perfumes, air fresheners and hair sprays. Throughout yesterday, people involved in the chemical warehouse businesses told reporters not to cite the warehouses as a probable cause of the fire. “Why do you talk about chemicals being responsible for the fire? Say that it was a cylinder blast that caused the fire,” a man told The Daily Star. The man didn't mention his name, but said he runs a warehouse. However, many residents of the area said the businessmen were trying to deflect the attention from the chemicals, fearing an initiative to move the business from the area. “By renting out flats to chemical businesses, the owners are turning the buildings into bombs,” said Mohammad Raju, a resident. About moving the chemical hub out of Old Dhaka, the minister said the businesses had been there for generations and had developed their trade network. “We can tell that we will make a decision very soon and move them,” he said. Meanwhile, Security Services Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs formed a five-member committee to probe the fire. Headed by Additional Secretary Pradip Ranjan Chakraborty, the committee includes DG of fire service, deputy commissioner, representative of Dhaka South City Corporation and deputy police commissioner of Lalbagh Zone. The committee was asked to submit its report to the ministry by a week. The industries ministry also formed a 12-member committee with Additional Secretary M Mofizul Haque as its chief to find out the cause of the fire, assess the losses and make recommendations to prevent the recurrence of such incidents, reports UNB.<doc-sep>-- Tk 30 lakh given to victims at DMCH -- 37 bodies identified and handed over to families so far -- Govt's irresponsibility behind Chawkbazar fire: BNP -- Father, son die in each other’s arms Authorities have called off rescue operation after dousing the ghastly fire at Chawkbazar which has claimed lives of about 70 people so far. Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon called off rescue operation officially around 12:10pm after nearly 14 hours of efforts. Maj Shakil Newaz, a director of Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence, has confirmed The Daily Star of the development. However, small explosion was reported at a warehouse on the 2nd floor of one of the buildings around 4:30pm that was doused instantly. Dhaka’s Additional Deputy Commissioner Shafiqul Islam told The Daily Star the bodies will be handed over to legal custodians after autopsy. The bodies have been kept at Dhaka Medical College morgue for identification. So far, about 37 bodies have been identified and the rest were charred beyond recognition. Sohel Mahmud, head of forensics at Dhaka Medical College, told The Daily Star that unidentified corpses will be subjected to DNA testing. Primarily, the district administration will be handing Tk 20,000 for burial during handover of the bodies, Additional Deputy Commissioner Shafiqul said. Last reported from Chawkbazar, a few teams of fire fighters were still at the spot on standby and additional police force was deployed. The fire fighters formed one probe body to investigate the incident. Bangladesh government said it will compensate the victims and that it was “a lesson learned” to avert any recurrence in the future. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed deep shock over the incident and prayed for the salvation of the departed soul. Law minister Anisul Huq also extended his condolences to the bereaved families. GLIMPSES OF THE FIRE INCIDENT According to several eyewitnesses and survivors, the fire began after a big blast in Chawkbazar, a hub in Old Dhaka, around 10:40pm. According to what can be ascertained, the fire sparked out from a chemical warehouse on the ground floor of the five-storied building named Hazi Wahed Mansion. The flames quickly spread to three other buildings nearby, including a community centre.<doc-sep>Condolences poured in to the bereaved families of those killed in the deadly blaze at Old Dhaka's Chawkbazar on Wednesday night. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen expressed his deep sympathy towards those who had lost their loved ones to the fire, wished eternal peace for the departed souls and quick recovery of the injured. Law Minister Anisul Huq extended his condolences to the mourning families. Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad, also leader of the opposition in parliament, expressed shock at the huge loss of lives in Chawkbazar fire incident, reported UNB. In a statement, he also demanded that the government take prompt actions against those responsible. British Secretary of State for International Development Penny Mordaunt expressed deep shock over the loss of lives. “I am deeply saddened to hear of the terrible loss of lives following the chemical warehouse fire in Dhaka, a city I visited earlier this week,” she tweeted yesterday morning. “My thoughts are with those families who have lost loved ones.” West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also extended her condolences on her twitter account. “Saddened to hear about the tragic loss of lives because of the devastating fire in Bangladesh. My heartfelt condolences to the grieving families. We wish the injured a speedy recovery,” she wrote in a tweet. India's Ministry of External Affairs also conveyed condolences following the tragic incident. . @PennyMordaunt: I am deeply saddened to hear of the terrible loss of life following the chemical warehouse fire in Dhaka, a city I visited earlier this week. My thoughts are with those families who have lost loved ones. — DFID (@DFID_UK) February 21, 2019 Raveesh Kumar, official spokesperson for the ministry, said in a twitter statement, “India is saddened by the loss of lives as a result of the tragic fire in Dhaka on February 20. We offer our deepest condolences to relatives of those affected by the accident. As a close neighbour and partner, we stand by the people and the Government of Bangladesh in this hour of grief.” Saddened to hear about the tragic loss of lives because of the devastating fire in Bangladesh. My heartfelt condolences to the grieving families. We wish the injured a speedy recovery — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) February 21, 2019 Shaheen Anam, executive director of rights organisation Manusher Jonno Foundation, expressed deep sorrow over the loss of at least 67 lives in the incident. She demanded that the government take immediate actions so that such incidents don't occur again. India is saddened by the loss of lives as a result of tragic fire in Dhaka on February 20. We offer our deepest condolences to relatives of those affected by the accident. As a close neighbour & partner, we stand by the people & the Government of Bangladesh in this hour of grief. — Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) February 21, 2019 Meanwhile, legal aid organisation Ain O Salish Kendra said an investigation should follow and action should be taken based on the findings.<doc-sep>A deadly blaze has killed dozens of people in the historic district of Chawkbazar in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka. But as BBC Bengali's Rakib Hasnet reports, it is not the first time the area has seen tragedy.<doc-sep>
At least 10 people were killed and scores injured as a fire ripped through a building in old Dhaka's Chawkbazar last night, said Ali Ahmed, director general of Fire Service and Civil Defence. The death toll is feared to rise, as one fire service official claimed seeing more than five bodies. The fire broke out around 10:40pm at a chemical warehouse on the ground floor of the five-storey building named Hazi Wahed Mansion. The flames then quickly spread through three other buildings nearby, including a community centre, said the fire service chief. Of those injured, at least 16 suffered burns while 30 others were injured while trying to escape the blaze. Five of the burn victims were said to be in critical condition, while a number of people were reported missing. The origin of the fire was unclear. As many as 37 fire engines were still trying to bring the fire under control when this report was filed at 3:00am today. A firefighter named Jashim told The Daily Star at the spot it may not be possible to douse the flames until all the chemicals burned out. Rakibul Islam Sajeeb, a resident of the second floor of the four-storey building which also houses several chemical and plastic warehouses, said seven families lived there. The community centre was closed. This newspaper could not immediately confirm whether there were any people in the other two buildings. Abdul Karim, a local, said he was standing near the building around 10:40pm when he suddenly heard a bang. He heard a sound of explosion near the four-storey building. Flames soon spread to the building and a broken piece of glass hit him, leaving him injured. Sohag Hossain, one of the injured, said he, along with two of his friends, were working at a plastic factory at the building at the time. Suddenly, they heard a huge noise before noticing the fire. They tried to flee but could not escape the fire. He was being treated at the DMCH burn unit. Many people from the area were seen looking for their relatives, who apparently went missing, at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital after the incident. Of the injured, 44 were rushed to the hospital, Bacchu Miah, inspector at the DMCH police outpost, told this newspaper. Sixteen of them suffered burns and nine were admitted to the burn unit of the DMCH. The other injured hurt themselves while trying to flee, he said. Two other victims were taken to nearby Salimullah Medical College. Several burnt vehicles were seen in front of the buildings. Rafiqul Islam, a tenant at Hazi Wahed Mansion, said they had asked the landlord on several occasions in the past to remove the godowns from the building, but in vain. The incident brings to mind the Nimtoli fire that killed 123 in 2010. It had sparked a public outcry, demanding relocation of chemical warehouses and stores from the area, but little has been done in the last nine years.