Three families were left destitute after a fire destroyed their houses and belongings at Digha Paschimpara village in Bausa Union of Bagha Upazila in Rajshahi on Friday night. The fire, which is believed to have started accidentally from a mosquito coil in a cowshed, caused extensive damage to the homes and possessions of Nurul Haque Nuru and his three sons, Imdadul Haque, Shariful Haque, and Sajedul Haque. The affected families estimated their losses at around Tk 50 lakh.
The fire broke out at Nurul Haque Nuru's house around 7pm. Seven semi-pucca, tin-roofed rooms, three cowsheds, and three kitchens were damaged. The blaze destroyed cash, gold ornaments, rice, wheat, jute, onion, garlic, television sets, a refrigerator, important documents, and furniture. Locals reported that a refrigerator compressor and a gas cylinder may have exploded due to the heat, contributing to the rapid spread of the fire.
Nilufa Yasmin, wife of Imdadul Haque, first spotted the fire and alerted the neighbors. They attempted to extinguish the blaze before a team from Bagha Fire Service arrived and brought it under control. Minhazul Haque, assistant station in-charge of Bagha Fire Service, confirmed that the fire service responded promptly but the damage was already extensive. The families are now living under the open sky with little left except the clothes they were wearing.
FAQs
- **What caused the fire?** The fire is believed to have started accidentally from a mosquito coil lit in a cowshed. - **How much was the estimated loss?** The affected families estimated their losses at around Tk 50 lakh. - **What measures are being taken to help the victims?** Jannatul Ferdous, Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of Charghat, who is also in charge of Bagha, said she learned of the fire through the village police and that necessary measures would be taken for the victims. - **Who responded to the fire?** Neighbours initially tried to extinguish the fire, followed by a team from Bagha Fire Service. - **What items were destroyed in the fire?** The fire destroyed cash, gold ornaments, rice, wheat, jute, onion, garlic, television sets, a refrigerator, important documents, and furniture.
