Dhaka – Firefighters have been frantically trying for more than five hours to douse a fire at a multi-story building in the old part of Dhaka, an area crowded and crisscrossed by narrow lanes and by-lanes.
The fire broke out at the seven-story Mansur Ali Khan Market in Chwakbazar in the afternoon, officials at the Fire Service and Civil Defence department said on Monday. No casualties were reported from the incident.
The Fire Service and Civil Defence emergency department said it received information about the blaze at 5:04 pm. Firefighters from the nearby station reached the scene within 10 minutes.
Two fire engines initially began dousing the flames, and more fire engines with the necessary gear joined the efforts. The firefighters used mobile stairs from outside the building to reach the upper floors and spray water.
Thick black smoke engulfed the entire building and adjacent area, making it difficult initially for the firefighters to get into the building.
The firefighters said the fire originated on the sixth floor of the building and spread to other floors. But it could not be known immediately what actually caused the fire.
Local residents said the fire was also spreading to an adjacent building in the late evening, prompting the authorities to strengthen firefighting efforts by calling in more fire engines.
Traders and shop owners of the market, one of Bangladesh's major sources of wholesale trading in bags and other stationery, were seen at the scene hurriedly trying to move their goods to safety.
Rashed Bin Khalid, an on-duty officer at the Fire Service and Civil Defence, said the amount of smoke inside the building is greater compared to the fire.
Due to the narrow roads, it is taking time to bring the fire under control. He said there were no reports of casualties so far.
Mansur Ali Khan Market is often referred to as Mansur Khan Plaza in the old part of Dhaka. It is located in Chawk Mughaltuly of Chawk Bazar. The market is primarily known as Bangladesh's wholesale hub for stationery items and bags. The underground and lower levels house massive networks of vendors selling ladies' purses, school backpacks, travel luggage, coaching bags, and customized order bags.
