A devastating fire triggered by an electrical short circuit in a rural power line gutted 15 residential houses of local farmers in Derai upazila of Sunamganj on Monday (November 2) night, causing damages estimated at nearly 1 crore BDT.

The incident occurred around 8:00PM in Jarolia village under Sarmangal union when a short circuit originated from the main pole of the Rural Electrification Board (REB) line.

The fire initially caught one residential home before rapidly spreading to neighboring structures, consuming crops, rice, fertilizers, pesticides, seed paddy, furniture, cash, and gold ornaments belonging to 15 farming families.

Local residents blamed the REB office for failing to properly maintain the primary power transmission lines, leading to the accidental spark.

Villagers managed to bring the flames under control before firefighters from the Derai Fire Service station arrived at the scene roughly half an hour after the fire broke out.

Derai Police Station Officer-in-Charge Aminul Haq confirmed that the blaze originated from an electrical short circuit on the rural power line, adding that all 15 affected households belong to agricultural workers.