At least 500 shanties and four plastic storehouses were gutted in two separate fire incidents in the capital’s Hazaribagh and Islambagh area on Thursday.
Some 15 slum dwellers in the capital’s Hazaribagh were also injured in the fire. The Hajaribagh fire originated at Boubazar slum near Balurmath around 10pm. Nine units of firefighters in association with locals and slum dwellers put out the flame with a joint effort of two hours.
However, the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained as one of the slum dwellers said the fire originated from a mosquito coil while another gave the version that the fire originated from a short circuit.
Locals and witnesses said around 2,000 people had been residing in the slum and almost everything of the slum housings had been burnt to ashes.
Most of the slum dwellers were away on the occasion of Eid.
Major Mahbubur Rahman, director (operation) of Fire Service and Civil Defence, said around 400 shanties were burnt although the dwellers claimed that the number was around 500.
Witnesses said the fire engulfed the entire slum within moments before the firefighters rushed to the spot. Almost all shanties were made of wood and tins.
Meanwhile, another fire in the capital’s Islambagh left at least four plastic storehouses burnt. According to fire officials, the flame originated around 11:30am and seven units of firefighters doused it with their frantic efforts of around one hour.
Azizul Huq, officer-in-charge of Chawkbazar police station, suspect that the fire may have originated from cigarette butt.