Capital sees 2 fire incidents

Staff Reporter  :
A fire broke out at a building in the capital’s Uttara on Saturday evening.
The fire broke out around 6:45pm on the fifth floor of the 6-storey building and spread soon, said Shahjahan Sikder, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defence Headquarters Media Cell.

On information, three fire engines from Uttara station rushed to the spot and are trying to tame the blaze, he added. No casualties were reported till the filing of this report.

Earlier, two people were killed and several others injured as a tragic gutted about 300 houses at Mollabari slum adjacent to BFDC gate in the capital’s Tejgaon area early Saturday.

The victims have been identified as Sharmin Akter Kariman, 23, and her minor son Nafis, 2. Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, Director (Operation and Maintenance) of Fire Service and Civil Defence, confirmed the matter to journalists at a press conference.

He said 13 firefighting units rushed to the spot after being informed about the incident at 2:30am. The fire was brought under control around 3:40am.

Tajul said, “In addition to the two fatalities so far, several people have been injured. The injured have been sent to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn & Plastic Surgery.”

However, the exact cause of the fire and total losses could not be immediately determined, he added.

Meanwhile, a five-member committee headed by Lt Colonel Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury was formed to investigate the fire. The committee has been asked to submit a report with 15 working days.