Police and fire brigade sources said the fire originated from an electric short circuit inside the warehouse of Moon Star Private Ltd at 5:55pm. As soon as gas cylinders exploded, the fire spread fast inside the factory.

Four units of fire brigade managed to douse the fire at 6:55pm.

"Almost all the goods inside the warehouse were damaged in the fire. The goods worth Tk 1.40 crore had been kept locked inside the warehouse since 2005 following a case filed by the customs authorities," Sub-inspector Mohammad Saleh of Uttara Police Station said.

Saleh said a general diary has been filed with Uttara Police Station in this connection.