A fire at the Pioneer Base of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Project in Ishwardi, Pabna, has disrupted internet, electricity and water services at several facilities, with internet connectivity reportedly still unavailable nearly 57 hours after the incident.
The fire broke out at around 3am on Sunday at an office of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) within the project area. The incident, however, only became known publicly on Tuesday night.
Several rooms, including the BAEC server room, were severely damaged in the blaze. Computers, air-conditioning units, electrical equipment, important documents and various components of the internet server system were among the items affected.
Md Sadekul Bari, deputy assistant director of the Pabna Fire Service, said the fire originated suddenly in the server room at the BAEC Pioneer Base late on Sunday night. Flames and thick smoke quickly spread to adjoining rooms, prompting the authorities to respond.
Four units of the Ishwardi Fire Service were sent to the site. Firefighters worked for an extended period before bringing the blaze under control.
The incident has had consequences beyond the damaged rooms. Electricity supplies to the Pioneer Base and two nearby buildings were completely cut off following the fire. Internet connectivity was also disrupted at several offices of Nuclear Power Plant Company Bangladesh Limited (NPCBL) and the BAEC.
A site in-charge at the project, speaking on condition of anonymity, said internet services at the affected key facilities had still not been restored by noon on Wednesday, roughly 57 hours after the fire. The prolonged disruption has created difficulties for employees who rely on internal communication and digital systems for their work.
Electricity and water supplies have also remained suspended at the customs building and the canteen, according to project-related sources. The disruption has therefore affected not only office communications but also basic services in parts of the project area.
The damage to the server room has raised particular concern because both technological equipment and documents were destroyed. Project personnel are concerned about the possible loss or damage of important records and information, although the extent of any such loss has yet to be established.
Md Shahidul Islam, station master of the Rooppur Greencity Modern Fire Service, said the server room had suffered substantial damage after technological equipment and documents were destroyed in the fire. He added that the precise financial value of the losses had not yet been determined.
Fire officials have initially suspected an electrical short circuit as the possible cause of the blaze. The preliminary assessment is not being treated as a final determination, however. Officials said the actual cause would become clear after a full investigation.
The prolonged loss of internet and electricity, coupled with the damage to the server infrastructure, has affected normal operations in the area. Restoring connectivity and assessing the condition of the damaged systems are now key concerns for those working at the affected facilities.
Attempts were made to obtain comments from project authorities regarding the incident, but no project official provided a statement. Repeated calls and text messages sent to project director Kabir Hossain also received no response.
The full extent of the damage, the condition of potentially affected records and the precise cause of the fire remain to be determined as the authorities assess the aftermath.
