25 shops destroyed by fire in Gauripur market, Daudkandi

A devastating fire swept through Gauripur Market in Daudkandi Upazila, Comilla, in the early hours of Tuesday, 3 February, reducing 25 shops to ashes. The fire broke out at around 4:30 a.m. in the eastern “Kathpotti” area adjacent to the Dhaka–Homna Road. Despite the tireless efforts of nine fire service units over two and a half hours, the blaze had already caused significant destruction by the time it was brought under control.

According to local traders and fire service officials, the fire originated in a furniture shop, where a sudden flare-up quickly spread to neighbouring establishments. Initial reports indicate that the presence of flammable chemicals, including paint compounds, in the furniture store exacerbated the fire, allowing it to engulf nearby shops with alarming speed.

The first response came from three Daudkandi fire service units, which drew water from the nearby Gomti River to combat the flames. As the fire intensified, six additional units from Homna and Chandina Upazilas joined the operation. By around 7 a.m., the blaze was fully under control, but the damage had already been done.

Business owners reported that a variety of shops had been destroyed, including furniture outlets, an electrical and air-conditioning showroom, auto-rickshaw garages, grocery stores, and warehouses storing seasonal items such as rice and dates for Ramadan. Furniture merchant Amir Hossain expressed his anguish, stating, “Everything we had is gone. Just in the furniture market alone, stock worth several crore taka has been lost.”

Preliminary estimates place the total damage at over BDT 40 million.

Mohammad Idris, Additional Director of the Comilla Fire Service, confirmed that units from Daudkandi, Homna, and Chandina collectively brought the fire under control. “The precise cause of the fire has yet to be determined,” he added.

Meanwhile, the acting officer-in-charge of Daudkandi Model Police Station, Mohammad Abdul Halim, said that police personnel, led by Inspector Mohammad Jahangir Alam of the Gauripur Police Investigation Centre, assisted in controlling the fire and maintaining order. An investigation into the full extent of the losses is ongoing.

Notably, as of the time of reporting, no officials from the Upazila administration were present at the scene.

Summary of Damage:

The incident has left local traders reeling, with many facing the prospect of severe financial hardship, and authorities have called for a thorough investigation to prevent similar disasters in the future.