Fire tragedy in Bailey Road building

The fire that took no time to become an inferno to reduce an upscale and trendy building bustling with shoppers and food lovers on Bailey Road into a kind of death valley highlights the vulnerability of life in such accommodations. Latest reports confirm that 49 lives perished in the fire and a few more of those admitted to hospitals with severe burn injuries may die as well. It is tragic and at the same time shocking. Only more so, because the night of February 29 arrived there as usual with the high-end Bailey Road's appeal for some happy time. A rendezvous of shoppers, friends and families, the  building gave an impressive look. On the ground floor was a very popular shop that is well known for selling the latest tech products including smartphones and related hardware, then there were well-established eateries and shops on other floors upstairs. This building was next to another famous building that housed Pizza Hut and KFC, which drew in even bigger crowds on any given day.

Fire in such a multi-storied building in a posh area is the last thing people have in their minds. But given the building's commercial cum residential characteristics, a tragedy of this order was just waiting to unfold. To go by the Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence's claim, notices were issued three times before, warning the danger posed to the building. Allegedly, additional construction to the original design of the building upset the stability of the building and the power input to it. Fire service personnel suspect that the fire originated on the ground floor and coming in contact with the LPG gas cylinders stored in fire escape stairway ---and there was only one narrow stairway--- the fire turned vicious. Last year saw a number of fires more devastating but mercifully with fewer casualties.

Fires at Nimtoli, Chawkbazar and Churihatta along with a series of blazes at garment factories are unlike those at slums because the building codes and fire safety measures are supposed to be in place in the former and unregulated and at times illegal power connections to shacks or shanties to the latter. Unfortunately, violation of building codes and makeshift arrangements for commercial use make shopping complexes and residential cum commercial buildings as much vulnerable as slums. Violation of building codes, misuse and abuse of living and commercial facilities make a sure recipe for tragedies like that of the building on Baily Road.

Why aren't authorities like the RAJUK held accountable for approval of building plans and then not following up with inspections? It is essential to accord magisterial powers to officials concerned of fire service department. That its notices are not heeded to is because those are not taken seriously. If the past few incidents of fire are considered, the fire service issued prior warnings in almost all cases. Let their recommendations be followed up by legally sanctioned measures and actions. The fact that fire tragedies at garment factories after the Tazreen tragic incident have now become almost a thing of the past certainly  shows the way. Retrofitting and transformation of garment factories to green buildings have done the trick.  A similar programme should be launched to avoid fire tragedies in the future.