100 shanties gutted, 10 hurt in fire

Residents of a slum inside Janata Housing in Mirpur-2 in the capital try to salvage their belongings after a fire devastated around 100 shanties yesterday.Photo: STAR

At least 10 people, including a fire-fighter, sustained burn injuries in a devastating fire that gutted at least 100 shanties of a slum at Janata Housing in the city's Mirpur area yesterday.
Abdur Rashid, deputy director of Dhaka Division Fire Service and Civil Defence, quoting locals said the fire originated from the kitchen of a slum house at about 11:50 am and soon engulfed other houses.
On information, eleven fire units rushed to the spot and brought the flame under control at about 2:55 pm after three hours hectic efforts with the help of local people.
Two of the injured were admitted to Pangu Hospital while others, including fire fighter Majharul Islam of Mohammadpur fire station, were given first aid at local hospitals and clinics.
Rickshaw puller Idris Ali said he frantically came out of his house with his children but could not take his belongings as the flame engulfed his room shortly.
DC of Mirpur Zone under DMP said most of the shanties were made of bamboo, which helped spread blaze rapidly.
Food and Disaster Management Minister Abdur Razzak directed the authorities concerned to distribute Tk 2000 and 20 kgs of rice to each victim family in the slum.
The money and rice already have been allocated, said an official release.
In another incident, a fire broke out in a room on the fifth floor of the 20-storey Sukarna Tower in the city's New Market area yesterday evening.
Police said residents of the tower had doused the fire before the fire fighters reached the spot.