One killed in Kaptan Bazar fire

A youth was killed when a fire swept through a part of Kaptan Bazar in the capital's Gulistan early yesterday.

The blaze also burnt alive about 10,000 chickens, said traders.

The youth was identified as Md Yasin, 21, salesman of a shop.

Shahjahan Sikder, deputy assistant director (media cell) at the Fire Service and Civil Defense headquarters, said the fire started from a shop at Kaptan Bazar around 4:45am.

Firefighters with some 12 fire engines fought the blaze. They managed to bring the fire under control around 6:00am. It took them another two hours to put out the flames that burnt at least 70 shops.

Later, firefighters recovered the body of Yasin from a shop, said Dewan Azad, duty officer at the Fire Service control room.

"Some 70 shops were burnt to ashes in the blaze. A probe has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the fire," he added.

Mahmudul Hasan, owner of Bhuiyan General Store, said Yasin was a salesman at his shop. He came to Dhaka four months back from Kishoreganj to do a job.

Hearing about the fire, the shop's eight salesmen, who lived at an adjacent house, rushed to the spot. Smoke filled the shop before they could take away the goods to safety. All but Yasin escaped, Mahmudul told The Daily Star quoting witnesses.

Yasin fainted inside the shop.

Al Amin Hossain, executive member of Kaptan Bazar-Thatari Bazar Owners Association, said all 30 chicken shops in the market were gutted.

"Around 8,000-10,000 chicken were killed in the fire," he said, adding that he had 650 chickens in three shops.

Jashim Uddin, proprietor of Noakhali Store, told this newspaper that he rushed to the market after hearing about the blaze.

"There was too much heat. I could pull up the shutters of my shop, but could not open the cage. I saw the chickens dying in front my eyes," said Jashim.

Later, the dead chickens were packed in sacks and dumped in nearby dustbins.