A major fire broke out at a six-storey residential hotel in Shariatpur Sadar Upazila early on Friday, leaving at least five people injured and destroying 12 motorcycles and a private car parked on the ground floor.
The fire started at Nur Hotel International, near Shariatpur Government Girls’ High School, at around 1.30am on Friday, 4 September. At the time, 17 people were inside the hotel.
According to police, fire service officials and local residents, the blaze originated in the ground-floor parking area, reportedly from a private car. Witnesses said the car’s wheel first exploded. Shortly afterwards, a cylinder inside the vehicle exploded with a loud bang, after which the fire spread rapidly from the parking area to the rest of the building.
As the flames intensified and smoke spread through the hotel, the occupants moved to the rooftop for safety. Local residents who noticed the fire alerted the Fire Service and Civil Defence. Two fire service units later arrived at the scene, while police also joined the rescue operation.
Firefighters worked for about 20 minutes to bring the blaze under control. They also rescued all 17 people who had taken shelter on the roof. Five of those rescued were injured and were taken to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital for treatment.
The fire caused significant damage to vehicles in the hotel’s parking area. Twelve motorcycles and the private car were completely destroyed. The total financial loss, however, could not immediately be established.
Eyewitness Alim Kazi said the fire appeared to have started from the vehicle in the parking area. He said people moved away after the wheel exploded, before a subsequent cylinder explosion produced such a powerful sound that it appeared to shake the entire building. The fire then spread rapidly through the hotel.
Sub-Inspector Sudhangshu Sarker of Palong Model Police Station said police received information about the fire over their radio network while they were in Dhanuka. Officers immediately headed to the hotel and found fire service personnel already working at the scene. Police assisted the firefighters in bringing the blaze under control and evacuating those trapped on the upper floors.
Inspector Shankar Biswas of the Shariatpur Fire Service and Civil Defence said they received the emergency call at around 1.30am and arrived to find the parking area engulfed in flames. The intensity of the fire initially made it difficult for firefighters to reach the upper floors.
After around 20 minutes of firefighting, the blaze was brought under control and all 17 people on the rooftop were rescued alive. Five of them had suffered injuries and were sent to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital.
Fire service officials said their preliminary assessment suggested that an electrical fault could have been responsible for the fire. However, the exact cause has not yet been conclusively established.
The incident has also raised questions about fire safety in residential buildings where a large number of people may be staying overnight. In such buildings, rapid access to emergency exits, functioning fire-fighting equipment and safe parking arrangements can be critical during a fire. In this case, the occupants were able to reach the rooftop, while emergency responders subsequently rescued them.
Authorities have yet to determine the full extent of the damage. A detailed assessment would be required to establish the overall financial loss and confirm how the fire began.
