Sky lanterns trigger fire at 7 places in Dhaka

As people went to have fun with families and friends with fireworks to mark the New Year, seven Incidents of fire were reported from different parts of capital Dhaka.

The fire incidents were caused by sky lanterns (fanus) and luckily there was no casualty in the fire incidents, sources at the Fire Service said.

Deputy Assistant Director (Media) of Fire Service headquarters Shahjahan Sikder said such fire incidents were reported from Dhaka’s Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Khilgaon, Demra, Sutrapur, Lalbagh and Keraniganj areas.

He said a case of firework explosion occurred on the rooftop of a three-storey building in the city’s Matuwail area when the New Year revellers ignited lanterns around 12.15 am.

Two units of firefighters responded to the call and doused the fire at 1.38 am.

Another fire incident happened when a firework detonated on the rooftop of a five-storey building at Dholaikhal around 12.40 am and firefighters put out the fire at about 1.29 am, the sources said.

In the early hours of Saturday, thousands of flying lanterns and fireworks were seen in the city sky. The New Year celebration across the city continued until late into night.