The mystery behind the devastating blaze at the `Green Cozy Cottage` complex on Bailey Road, claiming 46 lives on February 29, has been unraveled. Investigations revealed that the inferno, which originated from the stove of the `Chumuk` tea and coffee shop on the ground floor, rapidly engulfed the entire building.
A five-member investigative committee, led by Lt. Col. Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, Director (Operation and Maintenance) of the Fire Service and Civil Defense Department, was tasked to probe the incident.
In a statement to online news outlet Madhyam Bengali Tribune on Saturday, Chowdhury disclosed that the fire, fueled by accumulated gas within the premises, escalated swiftly from the ground floor.
"Our investigation report identifies the stove fire and gas as the primary causes," stated Tajul Islam Chowdhury. He further elaborated that the intensity of the fire was exacerbated by the gas emanating from the initial stove ignition.
Reflecting on the challenges faced during firefighting efforts, Chowdhury lamented, "Following the blaze, the committee encountered difficulties due to onlookers crowding the area. This impeded our firefighting operations."
Legal action ensued, with police filing charges of negligence resulting in death. Initial arrests included Anwarul Haque and Shafiqur Rahman, proprietors of `Chumuk,` and Zainuddin Jisan, manager of `Kachchi Bhai.` Subsequently, three additional individuals were apprehended, bringing the total number of arrests to six.
The case is currently under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police, as per official sources.
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