Arafat Hasan of DOT
Two workers died in a fire that broke out at a market in Palong Uttar Bazar of Shariatpur around 5am yesterday. At least 14 other shops were destroyed in total, according to Mohammad Moniruzzaman, chief of the local police station.
The dead have been identified as Polash Bairagi, 25, and Bishwajit Sarker alias Debdas, 17. They were residents of Madaripur and used to work in a sweetshop owned by Narayan Ghosh, according to a report by UNB.
Locals who witnessed the incident said at least 20 people who tried to put out the flames were injured. Two houses in the market were also gutted.
Firefighters from Shariatpur rushed to the scene and tried to douse the flames. Later, two units of firefighters from Damudya and Madaripur joined forces with them, taking almost 4 hours to control the flames, said Abdul Rahman, an officer of the local fire service station.
The fire was ignited by sparks from a stove inside the sweetshop, said Abdus Salam Bepari, general secretary of Palong Bazar Traders’ Association, adding that the blaze caused destruction of property worth Tk 500 million.
However, fire service officials could not confirm the amount immediately.
The bodies were later taken to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital for autopsy.