At least 12 shops dealing in old ship parts were gutted in a major fire that broke out at Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram district late Wednesday night.

According to sources, the fire erupted around 9:30 PM in Madam Bibirhat market near Sonargaon Pump on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway. According to initial reports, the blaze started during welding work in one of the shops and quickly spread to adjacent establishments, engulfing stored goods and ship parts.

The incident disrupted traffic on the busy highway, which remained closed until 11:30 PM. Five fire service units—including two from Kumira and three from Bayezid—responded and brought the fire under control after approximately two hours.

Confirming the incident, Kumira Fire Service Station official Al Mamun said that a detailed evaluation is underway and no casualties have been reported.

“The fire caused substantial property damage, but all residents and shopkeepers evacuated safely,” added the official.