A massive fire broke out in a crowded slum in Dhaka and gutted thousands of homes, leaving at least 10,000 people homeless.
The fire broke out in Mirpur neighbourhood in the Bangladesh capital late on Friday and razed around 2,000 shacks, according to reports. The blaze was brought under control and only minor injuries were reported.
No casualties have been reported so far. Most residents had left their homes to celebrate Eid al-Adha holiday with their families. The damage would have been much bigger if they were at the spot, local police chief Golam Rabbani said.
Officials are trying to provide accommodation to around 10,000 people who have lost their homes and have taken refuge in nearby schools. They are being given food, water and other necessary items. Authorities also said they are trying to find a more permanent accommodation to those who lost their homes.
Fires are frequent in Dhaka due to lax safety measures. This year, nearly 80 people were killed in a warehouse fire in Dhaka. In 2012, a fire swept through a nine-storey garment factory near Dhaka killing 111 workers. It was found that the managers had caused it and prevented victims from escaping. A 2010 fire in Nimtoli, one of the most densely populated districts of the capital, killed 123 people.
(With inputs from agencies)
