Fire guts houses of retired police official in Sariakandi

A devastating fire, triggered by an electrical short circuit, destroyed three houses of a family in Sariakandi, Bogura, early Thursday. The fire caused significant property damage, though no casualties were reported.

The blaze broke out around 3:00 AM at the residence of Mahbubul Alam, a freedom fighter and retired police inspector, in Vitapara village under Fulbari union. Local sources said the fire originated from an electrical spark and spread rapidly, even scorching nearby trees. While villagers initially attempted to douse the flames with water and sand, the intensity of the fire made it impossible to save the structures.

Upon receiving the news, two units from the Sariakandi Fire Service rushed to the scene. After an hour of effort, the team brought the fire under control by 4:00 AM.

Station Master of Sariakandi Fire Service, Sujan Mia, confirmed that three semi-permanent (semi-paca) houses were reduced to ashes. While the victim’s family estimated the loss of furniture, crops, and appliances at approximately six lakh taka, the Fire Service’s preliminary assessment placed the damage at three lakh taka. Investigators believe an electrical short circuit was the sole cause of the incident.