A fire broke out at a flower shop in the capital’s Shahbagh area, where loose, hanging electrical wires and hydrogen gas cylinders used for inflating balloons were found at the scene.
The Fire Service suspects the blaze originated from an electrical short circuit, and the leaking gas from the cylinders helped the fire spread rapidly.
Speaking at a briefing shortly after the fire was fully doused at 11:20 PM on Saturday (April 5), Kazi Nazmuzzaman, Assistant Director of Dhaka Division’s Fire Service and Civil Defence, said the exact cause is yet to be confirmed.
However, the presence of dangling and loosely connected electrical wires strongly indicates an electrical fault as the likely source.
“We noticed that the shop's wiring was very poor and hanging. We suspect the fire started from a short circuit. Initially, we had a water shortage, so we deployed three additional units from headquarters. Thanks to the quick response, the fire was brought under control swiftly,” Nazmuzzaman stated.
He further noted the presence of hydrogen or helium gas cylinders used for balloon inflation, which were leaking gas during the incident. “The fire was brought under control with extreme caution. By God’s grace, a major explosion was averted,” he added.
Nazmuzzaman emphasized that hydrogen gas is highly dangerous and is often used as a cheaper alternative to helium. The specific type of gas used will be determined through further testing.
When asked about the extent of the damage, the fire service official said it is too early to estimate losses, as the shop owners have not yet been located. An assessment will be made after gathering information from them.
Earlier, Fire Service Duty Officer Rakibul Hasan reported that they received the fire alert at 9:53 PM about a blaze at a tin-roofed flower shop in Shahbagh. The first unit reached the site within eight minutes, at 10:01 PM.
Additional units from Palashi and Siddikbazar fire stations joined in, making a total of six units battling the flames. The fire was brought under control by 10:55 PM and completely extinguished by 11:20 PM.
Though the fire is out, the cylinders remain hazardous, prompting authorities to declare the area off-limits to the public for the time being.
