Fire brigade sources said the fire that probably started from an electrical short circuit raged through Sheikh Mansion, a wholesale market on Kabi Nazrul Islam Road in Satmatha area, gutting eight shops.

Owners of the market claimed that the damage would be around Tk 12 crore. But a rough estimate by the law enforcers put the figure at Tk 2 crore.

Witnesses said that they saw smoke billowing out of Rafique Cloth Store at around 8:00pm. Almost each of the 40 shops housed in the market was affected by the fire.

When the firefighters and shop owners went to put out the blaze, eight people suffered severe burns. The injured were rushed to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College and Hospital.

Fourteen fire-fighting units from Naogoan, Joypurhat, Sirajganj, Natore, and Bogra brought the flames under control after two hours of efforts. The fire however could not be doused completely as of filing this report at 12:30am.

Police, Rapid Action Battalion and army personnel were deployed in the area.