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CHITTAGONG, Oct 13 (BDNEWS): At least three persons, including two minors, were killed in a devastating fire that broke out at warehouses in the city's East Madarbari area Wednesday night in which valuable goods worth about several crore taka were gutted.
The dead were identified Jyotsna Begum (45), Shafiullah alias Sabuj (4) and Shwati (7) who lived in a nearby house.
They received serious injuries as a wall collapsed due to intense heat of the fire and were rushed to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH). Among them Jyotsna and Sabuj succumbed to their injuries at the hospital at about 5am Thursday while Shwati at 10am.
At least six persons including three firefighters also received injuries in the fire that originated at around 9:00pm, according to firefighters and local people.
About 15 firefighting units from the city's different stations brought the fire under control at 1:30am.
However, RAB, paramilitary BDR and huge police personnel cordoned off the area to check robbery and theft.
According to eyewitnesses, the flame of the fire coupled with thick smoke spiralled up to 40 feet and was visible from distant places.
"The loss on account of fire obviously would be colossal but the extent of damage is yet to be ascertained," said Assistant Director of the Fire Service Rashedul Islam Mazumder.
The fire reportedly originated from a burning cigarette in one of the storehouses located at Hazi Nozu Malum Lane at Madarbari and promptly engulfed the adjacent warehouses.
Three storehouses of second hand imported garments, crockery, biscuits, cartons and other valuable goods and owned by Yamic International Private Ltd were completely damaged in the fire.
The firefighters who sustained burn injuries were identified as Zakir, Nazmul and Hamid.
Three people were also injured. Among them, Nasir (25) and Bilkis (20) were admitted to the CMCH.
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