BANGLADESH

A fire at Nimtoli in the old part of the city on Monday gutted a polythene factory and damaged property and valuables worth about Tk 40 lakh.

Resulting from an electric short-circuit, the fire raged through the factory for an hour from 3:00pm until fire fighters brought it under control.

"The fire originated from power fluctuations at a polythene factory called SM Telecom," said fire service deputy director Mizanur Rahman.

The place where the fire broke out is the ground floor of a residential five-storied building, and no casualty has been reported, he added.

The fire brings back the horror the country experienced back in June, 2010 when more than 110 people were charred in a fire that engulfed several houses and shops in the same locality.

"I fear Nimtoli tragedy may revisit if reasons causing this type of fire is not attended properly," said Babul Hossain, a second-floor resident of the building.