Massive Fire Leaves Thousands Homeless In Dhaka

A major fire ripped through Dhaka’s Korail slum, destroying around 1,500 shanties and displacing thousands. No casualties were reported. The densely populated settlement houses nearly 60,000 families.

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A massive fire swept through a densely populated slum in Bangladesh’s capital, destroying or damaging around 1,500 shanties and leaving thousands homeless, according to a report by The New Indian Express.

No casualties have been reported so far. The blaze broke out on Tuesday evening at the Korail slum in Dhaka and was brought under control after nearly 16 hours, said Rashed Bin Khalid, a duty officer with the Fire Service and Civil Defence.

As per the new Indian Express reports, Lt. Col. Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, Director of the fire service, stated that approximately 1,500 homes were affected and thousands of residents have been displaced.

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Official records show that nearly 60,000 families, many of them described as climate refugees, reside in the slum, which spans more than 160 acres (65 hectares).

The settlement sits between Dhaka’s upscale Gulshan and Banani neighbourhoods and is surrounded by clusters of high-rise residential and commercial buildings.

Hong Kong Fire

Recently, the fire incident that ripped through multiple high-rise towers in a Hong Kong housing complex resulted in the death of 44 people, and several are still missing.

Fire crews are still battling the blaze and attempting to reach residents trapped on upper floors.