<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>A chemical warehouse of a shoe factory was gutted in a fire that broke out in Old Dhaka’s Chawkbazar area early Saturday.</b></span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The fire broke out at the chemical warehouse of a shoe factory named Asia Rubber Industry around 3:30 am and engulfed it, said deputy director of Fire Service and Civil Defense (Dhaka division) Saleh Uddin.</div><div><br></div><div>On information, nine firefighting units rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control around 6 am.</div><div><br></div><div>The firefighting units are working to fully douse the fire.</div><div><br></div><div>“It took time to extinguish the fire as there were plastic materials inside the warehouse. Plastic and adhesive used for making shoes were stocked in the warehouse,” Saleh Uddin said.</div><div><br></div><div>The firefighting units struggled a lot to reach the spot due to narrow roads, he said, adding, “We also faced difficulties in bringing water due to scarcity of water resources in the area.”</div><div><br></div><div>However, the reason behind the fire could not be known immediately and a probe committee will be formed to identify the reason.</div><div><br></div><div>The extent of losses caused by the fire will be known later.</div><div><br></div><div>In 2019, 67 people were killed and 41 were injured in a devastating fire that broke out at a chemical warehouse and raged through four other adjacent buildings in the Chawkbazar area. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd/fas</div>