30 shanties, a dozen shops gutted in fire
A fire blazes through South Begunbari slum in the city burning down at least 30 shanties and also damaging three adjacent buildings yesterday evening. Photo: Shafiqul Alam
A fire gutted 30 shanties at a slum in South Begunbari while 16 shops and business establishments burnt down in Mirpur in the capital yesterday.
At least 10 people, including women and children, were injured in the fire incident at South Begunbari.
Witnesses said the slum dwellers could not save their belongings as the fire that broke out at around 5:30pm engulfed the tin-shed shanties quickly.
Three buildings were also damaged in the fire.
Jasim Uddin, a tenant at a nearby building, claimed that the fire was caused by an explosion in a gas pipeline at the construction site of Hatirjheel Project in the area.
Slum dweller Amena Begum said they noticed a leakage in the pipeline a few days ago and requested the authorities concerned to repair it.
"But they did not pay heed to our request," she added.
Officials of Fire Service and Civil Defence said it took 19 fire engines over three hours to douse the flame.
Meanwhile, another fire broke out at a tin-shed market in Mirpur Section-1 at around 2:00pm.
The fire spread quickly and gutted the valuables of a four-storey building, four yarn storehouses, three bedding stores, a shoe factory and shops.
Fire fighters managed to tame the flame around 4:00pm.
Zakir Hossain Molla, officer-in-charge of Mirpur Police Station, said the fire might have originated from a gas burner at a shop in the market.
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