Tangail, NOV 15, V7N- A devastating fire caused by an electrical short circuit has completely destroyed eight shops at Auliabad Bazar in Kalihati Upazila of Tangail. Business owners claim losses amounting to approximately 1 crore BDT (10 million).

The incident occurred on Thursday (November 14) around 9:00 PM. Locals, along with three firefighting units, managed to bring the fire under control after two hours of effort.

According to locals, the fire originated from one of the shops at around 9:00 PM. Upon noticing the flames, people nearby raised the alarm and attempted to extinguish the fire. However, it quickly spread throughout the market, engulfing eight shops, including a pharmacy, clothing store, motorcycle repair shop, glassware shop, lathe machine room, and an electronics shop.

Business owners mentioned that most shops in the rural market close early in the evening, leaving them unattended at the time of the fire. This contributed to the severity of the damage.

Manzurul Islam, Station Officer of Kalihati Fire Service, said, “We received the report of the fire around 10:30 PM. One unit from Kalihati Fire Service was immediately dispatched to the scene, followed by two more units from Elenga and Ghatail. After two hours of effort, the fire was brought under control.”

Preliminary investigations by the fire service suggest the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. However, a detailed investigation is ongoing to confirm the exact cause and the total extent of the damage.

While business owners estimate the losses to be around 1 crore BDT, the fire service's initial report puts the damages at approximately 50 lakh BDT.

Locals have emphasized the need for regular inspection and maintenance of electrical connections in the market to prevent such incidents in the future.

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