The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

A devastating fire gutted more than 100 shops causing damages of Tk. 20 cores in Barnaripara upazila town market on Sunday afternoon.

Md. Shah Riaz, upazila Nirbahi Officer of Banaripara, said that the fire originated from a closed electronics shop named Bakpur Electronics, behind local branch of Agrani Bank at Bank Road, the highly populated commercial area of the upazila town at about 3-15 PM Sunday afternoon.

The flame rapidly spread in the market and engulled vast areas. Fire services from Banaripara, Barisal, Gournadi, Uzirpur, Jhalakati and Kawkhali stations rushed to the spot and brouch the flame under control after two hours hectic efforts.

The fire was fully extinguished after 7-30 night and electricity supply and tele communication remained disrupted till this report.

Five people including Mintu and Anukul, fire service men, Bibek, Rafik and Ramesh, firefighter volunteers, injured during fire extinguishing efforts and admitted to upazila health complex.

Manjure Elahi, deputy commissioner and officials of joint forces rushed to the spot and supervised the fire extinguishing operation.

Law enforcers cordoning the total market and surrounding areas prevented all unwanted entrances of the people except the affected shopkeepers, owners and residents to check looting and stealing.

Primarily electricity short circuit assumed as fire instigator and the damaged properties included medicine,c loth, garments, hotel, restaurants, fastfood, backery, grocery, electronics, hardware and book shops.