Fire threats surge due to faulty wiring, gas cylinder risks
Syed Shemul Parvez :
Fire incidents have become an increasingly alarming issue across Bangladesh, with both the frequency of incidents and the associated damage showing a sharp rise in recent years. In 2024 alone, the country witnessed 26,659 fire incidents, claiming the lives of 140 individuals, including two firefighters, and injuring 341 others.
This marks a worrying trend when compared to previous years, including 2023, which saw 27,624 fire incidents and a death toll of 102 people. The fire incidents in recent years have not only caused a tragic loss of life but also resulted in devastating property damage, with fires in residential buildings, gas cylinder explosions, and commercial establishments contributing to the crisis.
Experts highlight several key factors behind this growing threat, including faulty electrical systems, substandard gas cylinders, and inadequate adherence to building safety regulations, particularly in high-rise constructions. With over 100,000 fire incidents occurring between 2021 and 2024, it is clear that immediate measures are needed to address fire safety and prevention across the country.
“On average, 73 fire incidents took place per day across the country in 2024. The majority of these fires originated from electrical short circuits, burning bits of bidi-cigarettes, stoves, and gas,” said the Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) in a press release on Tuesday. These fires caused damage to properties worth around Tk 447 crore, while the fire service saved property worth over Tk 1,974 crore during the period.
In this context, Adil Mohammad Khan, an associate professor at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Jahangirnagar University and the president of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners, told The New Nation that fire incidents are increasing day by day in the city due to the construction of both residential and commercial parts of buildings in the same structure.
Although city authorities have instructed residents to build separate staircases for high-rise buildings, most people fail to follow these regulations, contributing to the increase in fire incidents, Khan explained.
Furthermore, defective electrical wiring and gas lines are other common causes of fire incidents in the country. Khan added that the most alarming type of fire incident these days is gas cylinder explosions, which occur almost daily due to the use of expired and non-standard cylinders. He also emphasized that inadequate investment in fire safety measures is a major factor behind the rise in fire incidents.
In 2024, 37 fire service workers were injured during firefighting efforts, and two firefighters were killed while carrying out rescue operations. During the firefighting process, 34 fire service vehicles were vandalized, and 8 vehicles were set on fire by unruly crowds.
The FSCD reported that out of 26,659 fire incidents in 2024, 9,069 (33.98%) were caused by electrical faults, 4,139 (15.52%) by burning bits of bidi-cigarettes, 3,056 (11.46%) by stoves, 789 (2.95%) by unruly people, 759 (2.84%) by children playing with fire, 735 by hot ashes, 704 by gas cylinder leakage, 465 by gas line leakage, 44 (0.45%) by gas cylinder explosions, 455 by coils, and 64 by fireworks, lanterns, or crackers.
According to available statistics, the highest number of fire incidents in 2024 occurred in homes and residential buildings. A total of 7,131 fires broke out in homes, accounting for 26.74% of the total incidents. In addition, there were 4,513 (16.92%) fires in haystacks, 2,411 (9.04%) in kitchens, 1,887 in shops, 911 in markets, 481 in shopping malls, 494 in factories outside the garment industry, 236 in garment industry establishments, 211 in power substations, 153 in multi-storey buildings, 150 in restaurants and hotels, 129 in government institutions, 126 in hospitals and clinics, 123 in jute warehouses and mills, 85 in religious institutions, 84 in slums, and 78 in educational institutions.
The country also witnessed 268 fire incidents in vehicles, 114 in buses, 13 in trains, and 3 in launches. The highest number of incidents occurred in February (2,737), followed by 3,421 in March, 3,426 in April, and 2,686 in May. “On average, 102 fire incidents occurred per day in these four months (February, March, April, May),” the FSCD stated.
Out of the 341 injured people, 237 were men and 104 were women, while 107 men and 33 women were among the 140 people killed. The highest casualties occurred in fires in residential buildings (72 injured, 36 killed), gas cylinder explosions (53 injured, 8 killed), and restaurants and hotels (78 injured, 47 killed).
To strengthen fire prevention measures, the FSCD operated 147 mobile courts in 2024, imposing fines totaling Tk 25.832 crore on 149 organizations. Cases were filed against three organizations. Additionally, the FSCD conducted 18,983 drills, 3,036 surveys, and 15,683 public relations events to raise awareness across the country.
In 2024, 147,717 people were trained in fire safety through 7,769 courses, and 156,840 garment workers received fire safety training in 3,921 courses specifically held in garment factories.