Five hours after a fire broke out at a multi-storey building in Old Dhaka’s Chawkbazar on Monday evening, the blaze remained uncontrolled, with 10 Fire Service and Civil Defence units working to extinguish it.
The fire broke out at a shop on the sixth floor of Mansur Khan Plaza, beside AC Mosque in the Chhota Katra area, at 5:02pm.
Fire engines from the nearest fire station were dispatched at 5:04pm, but the first unit reached the scene at 5:22pm after navigating traffic and narrow lanes. The station is about two kilometres from the building.
Fire Service officials at the scene said the lack of an immediate water source in the densely populated area of Old Dhaka was making firefighting difficult.
Firefighters are trying to extinguish the blaze by extending hoses from distant water sources and using water tankers.
The cause of the fire and any casualties have yet to be reported.
