Devastating fire at Koikhali market in Kathalia causes Tk 1cr in damages
Kathalia (Jhalakathi) Correspondent
A devastating fire gutted 12 business establishments at Koikhali market under Kathalia upazila in Jhalakathi district early Friday, causing estimated damages of nearly Tk 1 crore and injuring three people who attempted to douse the flames.
The fire broke out at around 4:00 AM on Friday, originating from a cosmetics shop owned by a local trader named Firoz, before rapidly spreading to adjacent commercial units across the market. Upon receiving the alarm, two firefighting units from Kathalia and neighboring Bhandaria upazilas rushed to the scene and brought the blaze under control after a two-hour joint effort alongside local residents.
The destroyed establishments include Firoz's cosmetics shop, Montu Electronics, Litton Munshi's grocery store, Sabuj Khan's cosmetics warehouse, Hasan Mridha's optical fiber office, Litton's grocery shop, Moti Mulla's grocery store, Bimal's grocery and bakery, Abdul Kader's television servicing center, and two additional storage godowns. Affected traders reported that goods, equipment, and structures valued at nearly Tk 1 crore were completely reduced to ashes.
Kathalia UNO Md. Mokbul Hossain inspected the damaged market on Friday, assuring the affected shop owners of financial assistance and corrugated iron sheets for rebuilding their businesses. Kathalia Fire Service Station Officer Md. Khalilur Rahman stated that preliminary investigations suggest an electrical short-circuit triggered the fire, while the precise financial loss is currently under formal assessment.
