2 admitted to burn unit as slum catches fire in capital

Two people suffered burn injuries while at least 84 shanties gutted at a fire in Natunbazar slum of Kalyanpur in the capital on Friday night.

Mirpur police station sub inspector Saddam Hossain told Prothom Alo that at least 84 shanties were gutted in the fire that broke out around 10:00pm on Friday. Two people, sustained burn injuries in the fire, have been admitted to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Fire service sources on Saturday morning said the fire was extinguished after 2 at night.

Fifteen firefighting units worked to extinguish the blaze, fire service official Mahfuz Riben told Prothom Alo.

He said two firefighters also sustained minor injuries while working to put out the blaze.

Sub inspector Bozlar Rahman on Friday night said they suspect the fire broke out from a gas cylinder blast.

Over 2,000 families live in the slum, he added.