A fire broke out at the food court on the fifth floor of Centre Point Shopping Mall in the airport area of Dhaka on Wednesday (9 September), prompting the deployment of five units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence.
The fire started around midday at the shopping centre located opposite Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. After receiving the report, firefighters were dispatched to the scene and began efforts to bring the blaze under control.
Initially, four fire service units were sent to the shopping mall. As the situation was assessed, another unit was deployed to reinforce the firefighting operation, bringing the total number of units involved to five.
Rosina Akter, the duty officer at the Fire Service headquarters, confirmed that four units were sent immediately after the fire was reported. A fifth unit later joined the operation as firefighters worked to contain the blaze.
The fire was brought under control at around 1:40pm, according to the Fire Service. No casualties had been reported at the time of the latest update. Authorities had also not yet established the extent of property damage caused by the incident.
Jisanul Haque, additional deputy commissioner for the Airport area under the Uttara Division, confirmed the fire at around 1:45pm.
The incident caused temporary panic among employees of the food outlets and other businesses operating inside the food court. As the area contains several establishments where cooking equipment and electrical appliances are commonly used, firefighters remained alert while dealing with the situation. The rapid response helped prevent the fire from developing into a more serious incident, according to officials familiar with the operation.
The exact cause of the fire has not yet been established. Investigators will need to determine whether it originated from an electrical fault, cooking equipment or another source. The extent of damage to the food court, including any equipment, fixtures or other property affected by the blaze, will also be assessed.
Fire Service personnel and members of the law enforcement agencies remained at the scene to monitor the situation after the flames were brought under control. A detailed assessment is expected to provide further information about the cause of the fire and the extent of the losses.
The incident comes at a busy location immediately opposite one of the country’s principal international airports, making a swift emergency response particularly significant. Firefighters’ prompt arrival and the subsequent deployment of an additional unit helped contain the blaze before any casualties were reported.
Authorities are expected to provide further details once the inspection and assessment of the affected area have been completed.
