Fire guts seven shops in Narsingdi

A fire has burnt down seven shops at a market in Madhabdi upazila of Narsingdi.

The incident was reported at the municipality's Sonar Bangla Cooperative Market early on Wednesday morning.

Three firefighting units subsequently took control of the situation after more than an hour's effort, according to Shimul Mohammad Rafi, deputy assistant director of Narsingdi Fire Service.

Citing witnesses and local residents, Rafi said the fire broke out around 7:00 am. Locals tried to douse the flames before notifying the Fire Service, reports bdnews24.com.

"Five units from Madhabdi and Narsingdi rushed to the scene after being alerted at 7:20 am. Only three units were needed to bring the fire under control,” he added.

The swift response to the incident prevented the fire from spreading further and saved the rest of the market from greater damage, according to Rafi. “Although the market houses hundreds of shops, most were spared.”

Authorities believe the fire likely originated from an electrical short circuit.

The shops destroyed by the fire sold footwear, electronics, and groceries, among other things.

The exact cause and full extent of the damage would be confirmed after further investigation, according to the Fire Service.