Short-circuit fire burns seven homes to ashes in Nilphamari's Domar, anger over Fire Service delay

Seven homes have been burned to ashes in a fire caused by an electrical short circuit in Domar Upazila of Nilphamari. The incident happened at around 5:45pm on Tuesday (3 November) in the Majhapara area of the upazila's Sadar Union. The victims said goods worth about Tk 15 lakh were damaged in the fire.

Local people said the short circuit occurred at an electric pole after the Maghrib call to prayer. The fire then spread quickly, catching one home after another.

The homes burned in the fire belonged to Md Rabel and Md Rubel, sons of the late Kamrul Huda of Majhapara, Liton and Lizu, sons of Nurul Huda, and Jewel, son of Samsul Huda.

The victims alleged that after they called the Fire Service, the firefighters arrived an hour later. It then took another 30 minutes to start the machine. Calls to the electricity office during that time also met a delay of about half an hour before the power was cut.

Victim Runa Begum said: 'When the Fire Service arrived, one house was burning. But because they were late starting their machine, all the other houses burned to ashes in moments. It is because of their delay that everything of ours has burned today.'

Victim Rabel Ahmed said: 'The gold jewellery and belongings in the house burned, causing a loss of more than Tk 20 lakh. We have been left completely destitute. Had the Fire Service not been late, perhaps our loss would not have been this big.'

A child, Lamisha, said in a tearful voice that her bicycle had burned, along with many of her clothes.

Local resident Sajedul Islam said: 'On an earlier occasion too, the Fire Service machine had the same problem while putting out a fire somewhere in Domar. By then everything had been destroyed in that fire. People are being left destitute because of this indifference of the Fire Service.'

Denying the allegation, Domar Fire Service station officer Mukti Mahmud said there was some delay because of the bad road, but that it was only a short time.