A woman and a child were burnt to death and several others injured in a tragic fire incident at a slum at Karwan Bazar in the capital Dhaka early Saturday.
According to Fire Service and Civil Defence officials, the deadly fire that broke out at around 2.25am at Mollabari slum near Film Development Corporation (FDC) under Tejgaon Police Station also gutted at least 300 shanties of the slum. Fire Service and Civil Defence media cell inspector Anwarul Islam said that on information, 13 fire-fighting units went to the spot and doused the blaze around 3.45am.
The team, later, recovered two charred bodies from the slum. However, their identities could not be known immediately.
Lt Col Tajul Islam Chowdhury, director (operations and maintenance) of fire service, said at least 300 shanties were gutted in the fire that left several people injured too.
The fire official suspected that the fire might have originated from an electrical short-circuit or leakage in the gas line and spread fast as the rooms are made of bamboo, wood and tins.
"We are investigating the incident to find out the actual reason behind the fire," he said.
Later, the bodies were sent to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.
Meanwhile, a woman and her son suffered burn injuries in the fire and were taken to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
The injured are Najma, 25, and her son Nazrul, 4.
Najma sustained injuries while rescuing the child from their house gutted in the fire.
She received 23% burn injuries, said a residential doctor of the hospital.
The child was released with first aid.
Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) announced financial assistance of Tk 5,000 to each family affected by the fire.
DNCC Mayor Md Atiqul Islam said those with special needs will be allocated Tk 10,000 per person.
Dhaka North Mayor said, "This is a privately owned slum. Low-income people live here. When I arrived, I saw that almost all the homes were burnt in the fire. Adequate blankets will be provided for them. Dry food and blankets have already been arranged by the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief. Dhaka North City Corporation will provide financial assistance to all the affected people."
