Over 200 homeless as fire in Pabna damages 63 houses

A devastating fire wreaked havoc on a cluster of houses at Ulat village in Sujanagar upazila of Pabna district on Sunday evening, rendering over two hundred people homeless. Photo: STAR

Fire damaged at least 63 houses at Ulat village in Sujanagar upazila on Sunday, leaving over 200 people homeless.
Locals said the fire originated from the kitchen of one Abul Kalam Molla at the village under Manikhat Union at around 4:00pm and spread quickly to the cluster of houses.
Four fire fighting units from Sujanagar upazila headquarters and Pabna town rushed the spot and extinguished the blaze after two hours of frantic efforts.
Sujanagar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) H M Nurul Islam said the houses of 62 poor families were gutted in the fire. The district administration yesterday gave Tk 1,000 and 20-kg of rice to each of the affected families, the UNO added.
“The houses were made of straw and very close together. So, the fire spread quickly through each one,” said Pabna fire station officer Md Shafiul Islam.
Manikhat Union Parishad Chairman Md Mojibar Rahman said the affected families are now living under open sky. He urged the local and district administrations to take necessary steps to rehabilitate the fire victims.
Members of the Red Crescent Pabna district unit also distributed clothes among the affected people.
UNB adds: Fire gutted valuables worth Tk 10 lakh at Chalantika Hotel in Magura town early Sunday.
On information, fire fighters rushed to the spot and put out the blaze with the help of local people. Five people sustained burn injuries as they were trying to extinguish the fire.