400 shanties gutted in Katasur fire, minor killed

FE Team | Published: January 12, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: January 11, 2015 23:05:14

Smoke billowing from Battala slum at Katasur, Mohammadpur in the capital after a fire broke out there on Sunday morning. — FE Photo

A minor girl was burnt alive and 400 shanties were gutted as a slum caught fire at Battala in Katasur area of Mohammadpur in the city on Sunday morning, reports UNB.
Azizul Haque, officer-in-charge of Mohammadpur Police Station, said the fire erupted at a shanty of Pulpar Basti (slum) in the area at about 8:28 am and soon engulfed the entire slum, killing four-year-old girl Fatema.
Fatema's garment worker mother had gone to her workplace leaving the child asleep in their room.
Major AKM Shakil Newaz, director (operation and maintenance) of fire service and civil defence, said they were informed about the fire at 8:15am and reached the spot at 8:25am.
Ten fire fighting units rushed in and managed to bring the blaze under control at about 9:40 am.
The fire fighters are still busy with rescue work in the area.
Fire Service sources said some residents of the slum, while going out for workplaces, witnessed the fire originated from an earthen oven of a shanty at 7:30am.