The fatal Feb 20 fire at Old Dhaka’s Chawkbazar originated from the warehouse storing cosmetics, especially spray canisters, on the first floor of the Wahed Mansion, a probe by the home ministry says.
Investigators also said that the fire was not sparked by gas cylinder blast or electrical short-circuit, rather suspects “some kind of leakage in the chemical godown”.
The findings were filed on Thursday (Mar 7) to the offices of Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan by the head of the inquiry panel Pradip Ranjan Chakraborty, additional secretary of Narcotics and Fire wing of the ministry.
He, however, declined to comment on it. “The minister will brief, if there’s anything to say.”
Speaking to Bangla Tribune, Home Minister Khan said he was yet to go through the probe report before adding the media will be briefed on Friday (Mar 8).
“No cylinders exploded. An electrical short circuit did not spark the fire. It started from the chemical godown on the first floor of Wahed Mansion,” he said.
Death toll in one of the deadliest fires in the history of the country has so far reached 71 with four others being treated with severe burn injuries.