‘I had to watch my shops burn to ashes’

More than 100 shops were gutted in a devastating fire that broke out at Jahur Hawkers’ Market, one of the largest readymade garments market in Chattogram early yesterday.

No causality has been reported so far, according to fire service officials.

The blaze originated at Shah Jalalabad Market around 3am and spread to the adjacent Jahur market, they said. Reason behind the fire could not be ascertained immediately.

Jasim Uddin, assistant director of Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence, said on information, 15 firefighting units rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control around 5:45am.

“The market was filled to the brim with fabrics as most of the shops have warehouses on the first floor. We are yet to determine the extent of the damage,” he said.

Purna Chandra Mutsuddi, deputy assistant director of Chattogram fire service, said, “Most shops were locked as the market stays shut on Friday. That’s why fire spread quickly as no one was there to douse the blaze.”

The official also mentioned that the market had no firefighting equipment and the roads inside the market are too narrow for fire trucks to enter.

“After the fire at Banani FR Tower in the capital, we went to many markets, including this one, to make them aware of fire safety. At the time, they did not pay heed to us,” he added.

While visiting the spot, this newspaper saw most shop owners trying to salvage their belongings. The lucky ones were gathering their products in front of the shops while many others stared blankly at the charred remains.

Jahur market is located on the slope of a hill, next to New Market. Due to the fire, the upper part of the market, situated on the hill, remained shut.

Mohammad Selim, owner of Takim and Home Fabrics, told The Daily Star, “I got the news around 4am. I reached my store as fast as I could, but failed to save anything. I had to watch my shops and warehouse burn to ashes.”

Store owners at the section of the market, where the blaze did not spread, were seen removing and packing their products in fear of another tragedy.

Md Mazibullah, an owner, said, “I got lucky that my shop was not gutted. The one next to me was burnt completely.”

Meanwhile, businessmen of the market said most shops had no insurance, and the market, which houses more than 700 shops, had no firefighting equipment.

Habibur Rahman, treasurer of Shah Jalalabad Market Committee, said some businessmen installed fire extinguishers at their shops but they could not use those as most workers were not at the shops during the incident.

Mohammad Hossain Babul, president of Jahur Hawker Market Owners’ Association, said, “Despite repeated instructions from the market authorities, most businessmen did not install fire extinguishers at their shops.”

After the fire incident, Chattogram City Corporation Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin visited the market and spoke to affected shop owners.

5-YEAR-OLD BURNT TO DEATH

In a separate incident, five-year-old Md Ashraful, son of Amir Hossain, died after a fire broke out at his residence due to an electric short circuit in Niribili residential area under Double Mooring Police Station early yesterday.

Neighbours informed law enforcers after seeing the fire, said Tarek Aziz, sub-inspector of the police station.

His parents and sister also suffered burn injuries. They are being treated at CMCH burn unit, said the SI.