Mysterious Fire Destroys Railway Files in Chattogram Fire Safety Gear Fails

A late-night fire at the Railway Chief Controller of Stores (CCS) office in Pahartali, Chittagong, has destroyed critical procurement documents and raised suspicions of sabotage.

The blaze broke out around 11:30 PM on Friday (March 13) in the ‘P-2’ branch of the facility. While the office is equipped with a modern firefighting system reportedly worth crores of taka, the equipment failed to function during the emergency.

The Pahartali CCS office is a Key Point Installation (KPI) zone housing major warehouses for railway goods. On-duty Railway Nirapotta Bahini (RNB) members attempted to use on-site extinguishers, but discovered the devices were inactive.

Two units from the Agrabad Fire Service eventually brought the flames under control after an hour-long effort.

Assistant Equipment Controller Rashed Ibne Akbar confirmed to reporters that the fire extinguishers available were expired. CCTV and mobile footage reportedly showed that instead of suppressing the flames, the outdated chemicals appeared to worsen the fire when sprayed on the documents.

The timing and location of the fire have fueled concerns of "evidence destruction." The affected room contained vital purchase files and historical records.

Officials noted that while contractors worked on the building's roof until 5:00 PM, the office was closed and locked when the fire started late at night. This has led many to doubt initial theories of a short circuit or a discarded cigarette.

As the main hub for railway procurement and chemical storage, the failure to maintain basic safety equipment has highlighted severe mismanagement within the department. A formal investigation is expected to determine the full extent of the loss.