The Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) has identified 58 markets as vulnerable after inspecting markets, supermarkets and shopping malls in Dhaka city for the last two weeks.
Among those, nine are “very risky” including Gausia, Rajdhani Super market, while 14 are “medium risky” and 35 are “risky.”
FSCD’s Director (Operation and Maintenance) Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury made the disclosure on Sunday at a press briefing on fire risk reduction and ensuring fire safety in important markets and shopping malls.
He said the FSCD considers the risk factor after conducting an analysis.
“We have visited each market along with Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) National Security Intelligence (NSI) members and the inspection was not satisfactory. Of the 58 markets, Old Dhaka’s Sadarghat, Lalbagh, Chawkbazar, Siddiquebazar, Urdhu Road are very risky,” the director added.
He also said the market authorities have frequently been careless in adhering to fire safety requirements. Additionally, the majority of shoppers lack the fundamental knowledge to put out a fire, and there is no fire safety drill.
Because of this negligence, fires are breaking out, causing harm to both property and people.
The director has listed a number of additional factors that caused market fires, including the building of non-engineering structures, non-design extensions, stacking of goods in shops, staying overnight inside shops without following the rules, smoking, using gas to cook food, etc.
Lt Col Tajul said, “We have spoken to four market owner associations since morning (Sunday) and gave them an idea about it.
“We would like to inform the market's traders and owners association that throughout the night, the traders should appoint their own people to various positions across the market. If any flammable stuff in the market catches fire they will work to put out the fire first.”
He also urged not to smoke, and not to cook at night in the markets.
Committee formed to probe New Super Market fire
The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) on Sunday formed a nine-member committee to investigate the cause of the fire at New Super Market in Dhaka, prepare a list of victims, and determine the extent of losses due to the incident.
The probe body has been asked to submit its report to the authorities concerned within the next three days, according to an official order.
The massive fire at New Super Market, next to the Dhaka New Market, was finally doused on Sunday morning, 27 hours after it started and burnt down shops and establishments during this busy Eid shopping season.
According to the media cell of Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD), the fire was doused at 9am on Sunday.
The fire broke out at the market around 5:40am on Saturday. The first unit of FSCD reached the spot at 5:43am. Afterwards, 30 firefighting units — assisted by the army, navy, air force, BGB, RAB, police, Ansar and VDP, and locals — brought the blaze under control around 9:10am.
Thirty-one people, including 25 fire service personnel, sustained injuries during their frantic efforts to douse the flames.
