Police claimed that several vehicles and case evidence, which were collected by police, have been burnt in the fire that broke out at a scrapyard behind the Shahbag Police Station on Tuesday afternoon.
The fire broke out around 2:45 pm on Tuesday and was completely doused nearly 3.00pm, said Lima Khanam, duty officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence control room.
“Initially, we believe the fire started from a discarded cigarette. The extent of the damage can be determined after investigation,” said Rafi Al Faruk duty officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters control room.
Meanwhile, Shahbagh Police Station inspector Shah Alam said the location was previously used as a Control Room for the Dhaka Metropolitan Police. Once the Control Room was relocated, it became a scrapyard.
Trucks, buses, autorickshaws, rickshaws, and cars impounded by police from various parts of Dhaka are kept at the location which are evidence in certain incidents, were burnt in the fire, he said.
In addition to the vehicles, some other pieces of evidence were burnt in the fire, he added.
However, the police official was unable to confirm what materials had burnt exactly.
“We are looking into what evidence was burnt in which cases,” added SI Shah Alam.
