Over 200 shanties gutted in Gazipur fire

More than 200 shanties were gutted in a massive fire that broke out at a slum along the busy Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in the Tongi area of Gazipur district early on Saturday, reports UNB.

No casualties were reported but hundreds of people have been rendered homeless.

Mohammad Manik-Uz-Zaman, assistant director of Gazipur Fire Service and Civil Defense, said that the fire broke out around 4:00am at a shack in Mazar slum in Tongi before engulfing other shanties.

Local people claimed that five people sustained minor injuries while rushing out of their houses.

"However, the extent of damage caused by the fire could not be ascertained immediately," the officer said.

Local ward councillor Giasuddin said that food assistance would be provided to the victims at the slum.