At least nine people, including four of a family, were burnt to death and several others injured as a fire broke out at a slum in Chattogram city early today.
The fire broke out at Bera Market slum in Chaktai area around 3:32am, said Jasim Uddin, deputy assistant director (DAD) of Agrabad Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters.
Seven of the deceased were identified as Rahima, 60, her daughters Nasrin, 4, Nazma, 16, her son Jaker Hossain Babu, 8, Hasina, 35, Ayesha, 37, Shohag, 19, while identities of other dead victims could not be known immediately.
All the victims were sleeping when the fire ripped through the slum, said Deputy Assistant Director of the fire station Purnochandra Mutsuddy.
A total of 12 fire engines of four firefighting units brought the fire under control after 45 minutes of their frantic efforts, said DAD Jasim.
The number of casualties was higher as most of the victims were sleeping keeping their door under lock and key in fear of being theft, he said.
Around 200 shanties were gutted in the fire but the extent of total damage could not be ascertained immediately, DAD Mutsuddy said.
The district administration has announced compensation of Tk 20,000 to each family of the dead victims.
Meanwhile, a four-member probe body headed by Additional District Magistrate Mashudul Kabir has been formed in this regard.
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