Aminbazar power grid fire brought under control

A massive fire broke out at a transformer of the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) at Aminbazar in Savar, Dhaka, on Tuesday morning. The fire, which occurred around 7:15 am, was brought under control after nearly two and a half hours of efforts by nine firefighting units.

Initially, the Fire Service was unable to determine the cause of the fire or the extent of the damage. However, power supply has been disrupted in several areas, including the leather industrial city of Savar. In response to the incident, the power authorities have formed a five-member investigation committee to determine the cause and assess the damage.

Saleh Uddin, Deputy Director of the Fire Service’s Dhaka Division, said that firefighters from Kalyanpur Fire Service were the first to reach the scene and began efforts to control the blaze. Due to the intensity of the fire, an additional nine units from five stations, including Savar, Tanari, and Kurmitola, were dispatched. The presence of oil in the transformer made the fire more difficult to extinguish.

After more than two hours of effort, the firefighters managed to control the blaze using special foam in addition to water. The cause of the fire and the full extent of the damage are still under investigation.

Sijan Ahmed, Assistant General Manager (Operations and Maintenance) of Rural Electrification Association-3, confirmed that the fire occurred in a 430/132 kV transformer at the Amin Bazar power grid. As a result, electricity supply has been disrupted to areas such as Hemayetpur Leather Industrial City and Shimultala in Savar. However, an estimate for when the power supply will be restored has not been provided.

Savar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), Abubakar Sarker, stated that the investigation committee has been formed to determine the cause of the fire and the extent of the damage. The findings will be shared once the committee submits its report.