Early-Morning Fire Guts Salma Begum's Home in Srinagar, Two Units Save Neighbouring Houses

A fire broke out in a tin house in Srinagar, Munshiganj, early in the morning. The house and the furniture inside were burnt to ashes. However, thanks to the quick action of two Fire Service units, the fire was brought under control and neighbouring homes were narrowly saved.

The fire broke out at 6:20am on Thursday (22 October) in the Rudrapara area of Baghra Union in the upazila. As the fire started at dawn, panic spread through the area.

The damaged house belonged to Salma Begum, wife of the late Khalek Bepari of the area. The house, built of tin and wood, was her place of residence.

According to the Fire Service and local sources, fire suddenly broke out in Salma Begum's home next to the Rudrapara Jame Mosque in the morning. As the house had wooden parts, the fire spread quickly.

Local people first tried to put out the fire themselves. But as the flames intensified, they failed and informed the Fire Service.

On receiving the news, two units from Srinagar Fire Station reached the spot and brought the fire under control. Because of the firefighters' quick action, the fire could not spread to the houses nearby.

No casualties were reported in the incident. Although the fire broke out at dawn, the avoidance of any loss of life is the biggest relief for local people.

Muhammad Shafiqul Islam, deputy assistant director of Munshiganj Fire Service and Civil Defence, said their two units reached the spot immediately after receiving the news and extinguished the fire.

It is initially suspected that the fire started from an electrical fault or short circuit. However, this is still an initial assumption; an investigation is needed to know the confirmed cause.

The Fire Service said the extent of the damage will be known only after the investigation. As the house and furniture were burnt, local people believe Salma Begum's loss is not small.

The dawn fire has again raised the question of electrical safety in houses made of tin and wood. In such incidents, the need to regularly check wiring and connections to reduce the risk of fire from short circuits comes up again and again.

After the fire was brought under control, normalcy began to return to the area. Standing beside the affected family and getting a full account of the damage are now the topics of discussion among local people.