Fire at Ctg EPZ

A fire broke out at the Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ) today that gutted valuables of five top parcel and courier service offices.

Two rooms of a makeshift dormitory for the CEPZ officials at South Halishahar in the port city were also burned in the fire.

The fire originated from an electric shot circuit at a room of the tin-shed dormitory and soon engulfed the adjacent offices of DHL, FedEx, TNT, Aramex and UPS around 11:45am, said fire service officials in Chittagong.

On information, 11 firefighting units from Agrabad, EPZ and Bandar fire stations doused the flame after an hour of frantic efforts, said Asaduzzaman Sheikh, deputy director of Fire Service and Civil Defence in Chittagong.

Firefighters are bringing out equipment, after a fire broke out at the Chittagong EPZ office. Photo: Star

Contacted, Khorshed Alam, general manager of Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA), Chittagong, said the tin-shed structure was an old office of the CEPZ and it was declared abandoned a couple of years ago.

Some officials of the CEPZ resided there for the time being and it also housed five courier services, he added.

There is a plan to replace the old structure with a multistory building, Khorshed said.