The Dhaka Times Desk Bashundhara City Shopping Mall has had 4 major fire incidents in the last 7 years. Hundreds of crores of rupees have been damaged in these fires, including loss of life. Why repeated incidents of fire?
The fire control system of Bashundhara City Shopping Mall located on Panthpath of the capital has created many questions in the mind of traders and fire service officials. Despite the presence of modern fire fighting systems, why are there repeated incidents of fire?
Meanwhile, Bashundhara authorities claimed that despite their best efforts, yesterday's (Sunday) fire could not be brought under control due to excessive smoke. However, they did not allow the fire to grow. Although two people were injured in this incident, the fire was terrible. Many people have raised questions about the reason for repeated fires in Bashundhara City.
Former Deputy Director of Fire Service Salim Newaz Bhuiyan told the media that although Bashundhara City's fire control system is modern, it is not working properly due to lack of ventilation system.
Bashundhara authorities are claiming that they have all the modern fire control systems despite repeated failure to control the fire. However, they could not use it due to excess smoke from yesterday's (Sunday) fire. 29 units of fire service worked to control the fire. Bashundhara's own workers also tried to bring the fire under control. Water is tried to enter from the back side of the market. However, the fire service workers said that the work was disrupted due to the wind.
Basically two buildings side by side in Bashundhara shopping complex. These are 8-storey buildings facing the Panthapath road and 19-storey buildings behind. Both buildings have had 4 major fire incidents in the last 7 years:
# On 13 March 2009, a massive fire killed seven people and injured over a hundred. The shopping mall was closed for about a month after the fire.
# Another fire occurred in August of the same year (2009).
# After 6 years on September 3, 2015, a fire broke out again in Bashundhara City.
# Exactly 1 year later yesterday (21 August) another fire broke out at 11:30 am.
According to an information, the fire service investigated after the death of 7 people in the fire incident of March 13, 2009. Bashundhara's fire fighting system was found to have several faults. Fire service also advised for that.
Were those suggestions taken? In response to such questions, TIM Latiful Hossain in charge of Bashundhara City told reporters, I have been working here for 4 years. The things suggested by Fire Surviv have been followed. We have all modern fire fighting systems. We contained the fire to the C-Block on the 6th floor. I did not let the fire grow. We have at least 60 firefighters working.
Was there any fire extinguisher malfunction in Bashundhara shopping mall? In response to that question, Fire Service Director (Operation) Major Shakeel Newaz told reporters on Sunday evening, "We have formed an investigation committee, if there is a fault including the source of the fire, the investigation committee will find it."
Regarding the damage, Shakil Newaz said that there are at least 100 shops in C-Block. Some of them are partially damaged, some are completely damaged.'
It is to be noted that yesterday (Sunday) at 11.23 pm, the fire is believed to have started from two shoe shops named 'MS Suj' or 'Khandkar Suj' in the C-Block of Level-6 of the market. Two shops side by side. Both these shops were closed. Since the fire broke out, the fire service personnel have been working to put out the fire. However, after the fire, the shopping mall and the surrounding areas were engulfed in smoke, which made it difficult to operate.
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