CHITTAGONG, Apr 3: A total of 953 fire incidents occurred in Chittagong division during the last year and the loss on account of fire was estimated at about Taka 8.44 crore.

Fire services and civil defence department sources told BSS that three persons were burnt alive and nine hundred animals and birds were rodsted alive in the fire.

Af least hundred people also .died in several incidents including landslide, building collafpse and road accidents, the sources said.

The causes and number of fire incidents recorded during the period were electric short circuit-320, furnace-183. burning cigarettes-97. friction of mechanism-18. burning ashes and other fire works-21. overheating-28, chemical reaction-14. display of fire-8, arson-18. setting fire to property by unruly mobs-13 and unidentified -114.

The fire destroyed property which included shops-169. kitchen room and dwelling houses-361. ships and auto-

mobiles-57. godown-78, cattleshed- 103. Jute and cotton godowns-16 and others-119.

There are 36 fire stations in Chittagong division of which 16 are in Chittagong district and of them nine are in Chittagong city corporation area, the sources said adding the department has imparted training to 621 people from industrial and garments sectors and students how to flight with the fire.

The sources said that three fire stations would be set up at Satkania. Chakaria and HaUia-‘ Jari thanas in near future and. eac,h fire station will cost about three crore Taka.