200 shops up in flames in Thanchi Bazar, fire station still 'under construction'

Almost all of the shops in Thanchi bazar of Bandarban burnt to ashes when a devastating fire broke out in the main market of the upazila today morning.

More than 200 shops -- mostly grocery, clothing, pharmacy, hardware, library, food, and variety stores -- were destroyed in the fire, our correspondent reports quoting Ariful Haque Mridul, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of the upazila.

How the fire was originated could not be known immediately, Ariful said.

Since there is no fire service station in Thanchi upazila, firefighters from Bandarban sadar upazila went to the spot around two hours after the fire broke out around 5:20am, said Cha Sa Thoai Marma, vice chairman of Thanchi upazila.

"Construction of a fire station was started in 2015 in Thanchi but the work has not been finished yet," said Thoai Hla Mong, chairman of Thanchi Upazila.

If the construction was finished in due time, people of Thanchi might not have faced such losses, he added.

Meanwhile, locals and members of Bangladesh Army, police and BGB tried to control the fire frantically for over two hours before firefighters joined them, he added.  

Wiping off tears, Aung Shwe U Marma, a trader and father of three children, said: "I collect ginger, garlic, and nuts from remote areas and sell in this Bazar."

"Fire destroyed all my stocked products, estimated around Tk 8 lakh", he added.

"All that I had is gone. How will I support my family now?" said Md. Faruq, owner of a cloth store that burnt to ashes.