Ctg warehouse fire rages even after a day

The fire that erupted at the warehouse of S Alam Refined Sugar Industries on Monday afternoon continued to rage on as firefighters struggled to contain the inferno last night.

The blaze, which began around 3:55 pm, prompted the deployment of advanced firefighting technology, including the fire extinguishing robot Loof-60, with little success as of 10:00pm.

.Md Abdul Malek, assistant director of Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defense, told The Business Standard, that the blaze has been reduced to half and efforts are ongoing to fully extinguish it.

Underscoring the complexity of the situation, he said, "It cannot be sure how long it will take to douse the fire fully."

Malek said firefighters struggle due to highly flammable raw sugar and a lack of nearby water sources.

Meanwhile, members of the probe committee formed by the District Administration visited the site of the incident today.

Led by Additional District Magistrate of Chattogram District Administration Mamunur Rahman, the committee is investigating the cause of the fire, assessing damages, and making recommendations to prevent similar accidents in the future.

The committee has been instructed to complete the inquiry and submit its report within the next seven working days.

The blaze won't affect sugar market: S Alam Group

About a potential sugar crisis in the wake of the devastating fire, Mohammad Saiful Alam, chairman, and managing director (MD) of S Alam Industrial Group, said supply from S Alam Refined Sugar Industries would resume within one or two days.

Despite the setback, Saiful Alam expressed confidence in the company's ability to quickly restore production, minimising any potential impact on the market price of sugar, according to a media release from the group today.

Approximately 100,000 tonnes of unrefined sugar was destroyed in the fire, the release adds.

There are concerns among the public about the potential impact of this tragic fire on the sugar market as Ramadan is approaching.

However, S Alam Group said fortunately, the other 3-4 warehouses nearby were not affected by the fire. Approximately 600,000 to 700,000 tonnes of unrefined sugar are still stored there. Therefore, there is no fear of a prolonged crisis in the sugar market.

Akhtar Hasan, general manager of the group, said, "We have enough sugar in stock to meet market demand. Hopefully, the situation will subside in the next few days."

Another Ctg fire guts 18 houses

At least 18 houses were gutted and two cows were killed in a devastating fire early Tuesday in Chattogram's Karnaphuli upazila, the same area where a blaze has been raging on a sugar warehouse, Fire Service and Civil Defence officials said.

Local UP member Mahmudul Haque Sumon and Karnafuli Modern Fire Service officer Shoaib Hossain Munsi said the fire originated from a mosquito repellent coil installed in a cattle shed. One unit of the fire station responded to the fire.

The houses sheltered around 40-50 families, predominantly comprising underprivileged people who found themselves in dire circumstances, locals said.