Chattogram slum fire toll rises to 9

The death toll in the deadly fire that broke out in Bhera-market slum in Chaktai of Chattogram early Sunday rises to nine, including seven of two families, reports UNB.

Seven of the deceased are identified as Rahima Begum, 60, her daughter Nazma, 16, Zakir Hossain, 8, Nasrin, 4, Hasina, 35, Ayesha, 37, and Sohag, 19.

Mohammad Jasim Uddin, deputy assistant director of Chattogram fire service and civil defence, said the fire broke out at the slum around 3:30am from an electric short-circuit.

On information, eight fire-fighting units rushed in and doused the fire around 5:00am.

Later, they recovered the eight charred bodies from the slum while another charred body of a minor was recovered around 10:30am.

The fire also burned down around 200 shanties of the slum.

Meanwhile, the district administration formed a four-member probe committee led by additional deputy commissioner Masudul Kabir to investigate the incident, said deputy commissioner Mohammad Elias Hossain after visiting the spot.

They also distributed Tk 20,000 to the families of each victim.