A three-member committee led by Prof Dr Syed Ishtiaq Ahmad of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) conducted an inspection at the fire-ragged Gulshan market on Sunday morning.

Prof Dr Ishtiaq emphasised on immediate measures to take away the collapsed part of the market in a media briefing after the inspection.

He said: “We have collected samples from fire burnt concretes also checked beams and columns of the market.”

He advised businessmen, shoppers who are now using a part of market to stay alert to avoid any untoward circumstances.

“We will figure out the reasons behind the fire after some tests on the collected sample,” he said while answering a question during the brief.

DNCC Chief Engineer Brig Md Sayeed Anwarul Islam along with high officials were present during the inspection.

A massive fire broke out in Gulshan 1 DNCC market around 2:30am on Tuesday. The fire caused a building of the kitchen market to collapse and left several other shops completely damaged in another building of the market.

Shop owners have blamed the city corporation’s higher authorities and Metro Group for the fire so that the city corporation can implement its one-sided plan to build a high-rise market on the same land.

City Mayor Annisul Huq, however, denied the allegations made by the shop owners and claimed that it was an accident.