2 killed, multiple injured in chemical warehouse fire in Old Dhaka

At least two people, including a woman, were killed while 20 others injured in a fire that broke out at a chemical warehouse in Armanitola of Old Dhaka early Friday.

Identities of the deceased could not be known immediately, while three of the injured were Fire Service personnel.

The injured were sent to Sir Salimullah Medical College and Mitford Hospital, and Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

The fire started at the ground floor of a six-storey building named Haji Musa Mansion at 3:18am on Friday, said Mahfuz Rivel, duty officer at the control room of Fire Service and Civil Defence.

Various sorts of chemical substances were stored at the ground floor, he said.

Twenty firefighting units brought the blaze under control at 6:08am, he added.

However, witnesses said a short circuit caused the fire that spread to the chemical warehouse, reports Bangla Tribune.

Fire Service and Civil Defence Director General Brig Gen Md Sazzad Hussain visited the spot.

Old Dhaka remains a ticking time bomb during fires because of illegal chemical warehouses, unplanned building construction, narrow roads and high population density.

In February 2019, a devastating fire at Wahed Mansion in the Churihatta area of Chawkbazar claimed 71 lives.

In June 2010, a deadly fire in Nimtoli took 124 lives.