At least 500 shanties were incinerated in a fire that broke out in Korail Boubajar slum in Dhaka’s Mohakhali area on Sunday afternoon, fire service officials said. There was no report of casualties till filing this news at 9.30pm.
Smoke was first seen billowing out of the slum, north of the BRAC Centre, at the capital’s Mohakhali around 2:30 pm on Sunday.
It took 14 fire-fighting units almost two hours to put out the flames, said fire service spokesperson. This was the second such fire in the slum in nine months.
However, the fire-service is yet to ascertain the cause or assess the damages. No casualties have been reported so far. “The flames left over 500 hundreds shanties completely gutted. Over 1,000 people used to live in those ravaged thatched houses” said local Councillor Mafizur Rahman said. Quoting locals, he said that the fire started from a shop inside the slum. Abdus Samad Sheikh, proprietor of a bedding store in Korail slum, claimed the fire broke out from a two-storied shanty beside his store on Sunday afternoon.
Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Annisul Huq visited the spot. He assured assistance for the affected victims. “We’ll prepare a list of the victims.”Fire service Assistant Director Masudur Rahman Akand said about 400-500 shanties were gutted in the fire. “We have not heard any news of casualties.”
A fire service volunteer, Poly Akhter Mukta, who was among the first to rush after hearing news of fire, said about 200 volunteers worked alongside the fire fighters during the fire.
