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Photos: Hundreds of shops gutted in market fire in Bangladesh

It took six hours for military forces and firefighters to contain the blaze, likely caused by an electric short circuit.

Hundreds of shops gutted in market fire in Bangladesh
A fire broke out at the Mohammadpur Krishi Market in Dhaka. [Arshadul Hoque Rocky/Reuters]

By Reuters

Published On 14 Sep 2023

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A huge fire has gutted several hundred shops at a market in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka.

There were no casualties as the blaze swept through the area in the early hours of Thursday before stores opened.

It took six hours for military forces and firefighters to contain the blaze, which spread quickly in the Mohammadpur market due to the large amount of flammable items such as cooking oil and plastics, officials said.

Fire service official Shahjahan Sikder said the fire was likely caused by an electric short circuit.

“My family was dependent on this shop. What do I do now? Everything burned to ashes,” a shop owner told local media.

Fires are common in densely populated Dhaka, which has seen a building boom in recent years, often without proper safety measures. Fires and explosions often occur due to faulty gas cylinders, air conditioners and bad electrical wiring.

In April, a fire in a shopping complex in Dhaka injured several firefighters and burned down some 5,000 stores.

Hundreds of shops gutted in market fire in Bangladesh
Fires and other accidents are common in the factories that make up the $27bn garment industry in Bangladesh, the world's second-biggest apparel exporter after China. [Arshadul Hoque Rocky/Reuters]
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Hundreds of shops gutted in market fire in Bangladesh
Fires often take place in commercial areas in Bangladesh because of lax monitoring and a lack of fire safety arrangements. [Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters]
Hundreds of shops gutted in market fire in Bangladesh
In November 2012, at least 111 workers were killed when a devastating fire engulfed a nine-storey garment factory in the Ashulia industrial area outside Dhaka. [Arshadul Hoque Rocky/Reuters]
Hundreds of shops gutted in market fire in Bangladesh
The accident was followed by a bigger tragedy six months later when 1,138 people died after a clothing factory complex collapsed, trapping more than 3,000 workers. [Arshadul Hoque Rocky/Reuters]
Hundreds of shops gutted in market fire in Bangladesh
People try to douse a part of a fire that broke out at the Mohammadpur Krishi Market in Dhaka. [Arshadul Hoque Rocky/Reuters]
Hundreds of shops gutted in market fire in Bangladesh
Conditions in the huge garment industry, which has experienced many disasters, including devastating fires, have improved significantly over the last decade. [Arshadul Hoque Rocky/Reuters]
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Hundreds of shops gutted in market fire in Bangladesh
Workers are often crammed in elbow to elbow, while fire escape stairwells are routinely blocked or padlocked closed, ostensibly to prevent theft. [Arshadul Hoque Rocky/Reuters]
Hundreds of shops gutted in market fire in Bangladesh
Mohammad Jashim, a shopkeeper, shows burned goods after a massive fire at the Mohammadpur market in Dhaka. [Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters]
Hundreds of shops gutted in market fire in Bangladesh
People react after a fire broke out at the Mohammadpur market. [Arshadul Hoque Rocky/Reuters]
Hundreds of shops gutted in market fire in Bangladesh
Firefighters and volunteers at the Mohammadpur market while smoke rises. [Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters]
Hundreds of shops gutted in market fire in Bangladesh
Building regulations are rarely enforced, volatile chemicals are often improperly stored, and official safety inspections are few and far between. [Mohammad Ponir Hossain/Reuters]