DHAKA: The Chawkbazar inferno ensued from the explosion of a gas cylinder. That’s what the video footage showed, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon said. 

The DSCC Mayor told reporters while removing chemical warehouse from Wahed Mansion’s basement on Saturday (February 23). 

Sayeed Khokon said, “A confidential source of police said a gas cylinder blast of a vehicle initiated the flames. The fire then spread to another vehicle and its gas cylinder had also exploded. Within a moment, the five-storey Hazi Wahed Mansion caught the fire.”

The basement of Wahid Mansion, the severely ravaged building among the five of Chawkbazar fire, was full of drums and sacks packed with chemicals. The entire parking space was occupied with chemicals.

The inferno ripped through the four-storied building but couldn’t reach the basement thanks to firefighters. Otherwise, tragedy could have much worse.

A chemical warehouse was housed at the 2nd floor of the building, but the fourth floor was burnt to ashes completely.

At least 67 people were killed and many injured in the fire that broke out at a chemical warehouse in Chawkbazar area of Old Dhaka around 10:45 pm on Wednesday (February 20).

BDST: 1713 HRS, FEB 23, 2019

AH/RS/SMS