A massive fire that erupted on March 4th at the S Alam Refined Sugar Industries warehouse in Chattogram, Bangladesh, raged for over 17 hours before being brought under control around 9:00 am on March 5th.
Firefighting officials attribute the prolonged process to the presence of approximately 100,000 tonnes of highly flammable raw sugar, valued at Tk1,000 crore, stored in the warehouse.
As per media report, around one lakh tonnes of sugar have been gutted in the fire that broke out at the warehouse of S Alam Refined Sugar Industries located at Karnaphuli upazila of Chattogram district.
Punya Chandra, assistant director of Chattogram Fire Service and Civil Defence, explained that extinguishing the fire is challenging due to the chemical properties of raw sugar. When water is applied to burning raw sugar, it separates oxygen and carbon molecules, intensifying the fire.
“Since last evening we have been working to bring the fire under control. We have managed to contain the flame within the warehouse but the raw sugar continues to burn inside. We are not able to enter the warehouse and are not sure when we would bring the situation under control, ” Punya added.
The fire, which began around 3:55 pm on March 4, prompted collaborative efforts from various teams, including the Bangladesh Air Force, Bangladesh Coast Guard, Bangladesh Army, and Bangladesh Navy, along with 14 firefighting units. While some teams left the scene, a contingent from the Bangladesh Navy remained onsite for emergency assistance.
Shoaib Hossain Munshi, warehouse inspector of Karnaphuli Fire Station, highlighted that the cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and further details will emerge following an investigation. Despite significant damage, no casualties have been reported.
S Alam Refined Sugar Industries comprises two refinery plants, with Plant-1 having a daily production capacity of 900 tonnes and Plant-2 capable of producing up to 1,600 tonnes. The factory operates with technology and technical support from Thailand and France.
