The port city of Chattogram is apparently lying on a ticking time bomb due to a widespread disregard for fire safety regulations with 1,427 fire incidents recorded in the district in 2023 alone that damaged properties worth Tk20 crore.

Although the number of casualties in these fire incidents remained low at only three, those indicate a disturbing trend – utter disregard for fire safety issues, unplanned urbanisation, ignored warnings and a lack of enforcement of rules.

However, properties valued at around Tk136 crore could be saved from destruction in these fire incidents, claimed the Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) Directorate.
Around four fire accidents took place every day that affected industrial units, business establishments and residential houses.

Unplanned urbanisation, violation of building codes and approved designs, callousness to ensure fire safety precautions and routine maintenance of electrical wires and machinery, and lack of awareness among the owners are largely blamed for the fire incidents.

Earlier, the primary obstacles to combating fire incidents in the metropolis were a lack of sophisticated and modern firefighting apparatus and vehicles and adequate manpower.
However, the FSCD is now well-equipped and has been using contemporary equipment and vehicles, just like developed nations.

In this circumstance, unplanned urbanisation without keeping sufficient passage for the movement of firefighting vehicles, a lack of rapidly accessible water sources, and overhead wires of various service providers are contributing to the spread of fire and losses of lives and properties during fire incidents, said the FSCD officials.

Like previous occasions, the FSCD surveyed risky markets and other structures last year and found most of them were lying in extremely vulnerable conditions.
They also put forward required recommendations to ward off casualties and losses of properties in fire accidents.

However, none of the market owners, their associations or shopkeepers paid any heed to the suggestions, they said.

The issue has come to the fore again after a hellish inferno ripped through a commercial building at the capital’s Bailey Road on February 29, claiming 46 lives on 29 and exposing the absence of proper fire safety precautions and the authorities’ unwillingness to enforce regulations.

The FSCD officials in Chattogram also fear massive losses of lives and properties in case of any fire at the risky Chattogram markets and high rises that were developed and being run showing thumbs to the rules and regulations.  

According to the sources in the department, of the 1,427 fire incidents that took place last year, highest 568 were sparked by electric short-circuit while 223 were from electric, gas and earthen burners, 178 from burning cigarette butts, 60 from gas pipelines and 11 from the friction of machinery.  

The number of fire incidents has also increased in this peak season and is being reported frequently in Chattogram. It took some four days to douse the devastating fire that broke out at S Alam Refined Sugar Industries Limited at Ichanagar in the city on 4 March.

The markets lying in vulnerable conditions in the city include Reazuddin Bazar, Tamakumandi Lane, Jahur Hawkers’ Market and Terri Bazar.
Developed without ensuring fire safety measures, the markets house thousands of shops, showrooms and warehouses, and several lakh people go there to meet their family needs of clothes, household items and others every day.

Besides, danger also lurks in the high rises, including residential buildings, where restaurants and warehouses of combustible items have been set up, violating the building codes and approved designs.

Of the total 3.82 lakh buildings developed in the port city with Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) approvals, 13,135 have six to 10 storeys while 431 have 11 to 15 storeys, 86 have 16 to 20 storeys and 10 buildings have 20 to highest 33 storeys, said sources.

According to the building codes, buildings having over six storeys or a 20-metre height must have adequate fire protection and firefighting arrangements while adequate emergency fire escape stairs depending upon the type of occupancy and occupancy load must be ensured.

Contacted, Tamakumandi Lane Bank Samity General Secretary Ahmed Kabir Dulal expressed helplessness saying, they have nothing to do to streamline the problem lying unaddressed for long.
Negligence for a long time made the situation more complex and it is tough to get rid of the crisis easily now, he observed.  

“We wrote letters to the CDA several times to demolish the unauthorised structures and their extensions to make passage for easy movement of firefighting vehicles. But, the authorities seem to be managed somehow,” alleged Dulal.

There are around 110 markets and 15,000 shops under their association, he said, adding that the authorities concerned should handle the issue with an iron hand.

Contacted, FSCD Chattogram Assistant Director Md Abdul Malek told the Daily Sun that although they now have sophisticated equipment and vehicles, those require sufficient space and water sources to fight a fire smoothly when every second is considered very important.  

Overhead wires of various service providers seriously hamper the smooth operation at crucial moments, he said, highlighting the vulnerable conditions of different industrial and commercial areas.

Fearing higher losses of lives and properties if any fire breaks out at the markets like Reazuddin Bazar, Tamakumandi and Terri Bazar, Malek said they put forward a set of recommendations after carrying out a survey last year, only to remain unimplemented.

But, after the devastating fire at the Bailey Road building in the capital, they have started collecting information about the restaurants in the city. “We’ll go for enforcement of law after giving a chance to those developed structures and restaurants without fire safety measures,” he added.

Talking to the Daily Sun, CDA Chief Engineer Kazi Hasan Bin Shams said they have also started a survey to identify violations of building codes at the buildings above 10 storeys in the city.
The buildings housing restaurants will also be inspected to ensure fire safety issues, he said, adding that action will be taken where violation of the building codes and designs is found.