Delayed Fire Brigade Response Burns Down Houses in Ratabari, Damages Worth 50 Lakhs

A devastating electrical fire in the Bargul village of Karimganj’s Ratabari burnt down two houses yesterday afternoon. Delayed response from the Fire Department has burnt down the two houses into ashes. Cash, gold, documents and household items, nothing could be saved due to the ravaging fire and the damages are estimated to be more than 50 lakh rupees. Due to the absence of any fire control measures, it spread to the neighbouring house and caused damages.

Last afternoon, on May 10, when the male members of Sarimul Haque’s house went to the Masjid to offer Jumma’s Namaz, a short circuit caught local fire and the spread of when went out of control. By the time Haque’s wife noticed the fire, it was beyond her capacity to exhaust it alone. She then called the other members of her family, who rushed home with help. By then, the fire had spread to Nazimul Islam’s (Sarimul Haque’s brother) house too.

Locals rang up the Fire and Emergency Response Department while others were trying to save whatever they could from inside the house. A family member present at the spot said, “Earlier there were two water tank engines of the Fire Department at Ratabari Police Station but now they have moved it to Ramkrishna Nagar Police Station. Even though the Fire Brigade reached there, by then the fire had burnt down everything and exhausted on its own”.

“There were more than 100 mun paddy (Nearly 4000kg), cash, gold, documents and several other valuable items. Losses can’t be estimated easily, but goods and paddy of more than 50 lakh rupees were damaged in the fire”, further added the family member. Fortunately, none was hurt in the devastating fire.