A devastating fire broke out at the five-storey building of Rahman Diagnostic Centre in the Hemayetpur area of Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka. Although the fire caused extensive damage to the clinic and surrounding shops, no casualties or fatalities have been reported thus far. The blaze originated at approximately 11:30 pm on Thursday (27 November) in the underground section of the hospital building, located within the Tetuljhora Union.
According to preliminary reports, the fire started in a shop situated in the building’s basement and rapidly escalated to the upper floors. Upon receiving the emergency call, two units from the Fire Service and Civil Defence arrived promptly at the scene to commence firefighting and rescue operations. Following an intensive two-hour struggle, the firemen managed to bring the flames under control by 1:30 am on Friday.
Tanveer Ahmed, Station Manager of Hemayetpur Tannery Fire Service, stated that the fire began on the ground floor and swiftly engulfed the entire structure, including three adjacent shops. Medical equipment, hospital furniture, and other valuable assets were completely destroyed in the inferno. As the diagnostic centre is situated in a densely populated commercial hub, the incident triggered widespread panic among local residents. Hospital staff acted quickly to evacuate all patients and attendants to safety before the smoke became overwhelming.
As of Friday morning, fire service personnel were still conducting damping-down operations, with thick smoke seen billowing from the premises. Officials have indicated that while the exact cause of the fire and the total financial loss are yet to be determined, a preliminary assessment suggests an electrical short circuit may have triggered the blaze. A full investigation is expected to be launched once the cooling process is completed.
GLIVE/TSN