Staff Reporter :
At least nine persons, including four of a family, were burnt to death as more than 200 shanties were gutted in a slum fire in Chaktai area of Chattogram city early Sunday.
The number of death toll may go up because conditions of several injured persons are critical.
Seven of the deceased were identified as Rahima, 60, her daughters Nasrin, 4, Nazma, 16, and her son Jaker Hossain Babu, 8, Hasina, 35, Ayesha, 37, Shohag, 19, while identities of the two other dead victims could not be known immediately.
A total of 12 fire fighting units finally managed to douse the blaze at 4:15 after 45 minutes of their frantic efforts, said Jasim Uddin, Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) of Agrabad Fire Service and Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) of Chattogram Headquarters.
Around 200 shanties were gutted in the fire but the extent of total damage could not be ascertained immediately, he said.
Most of the victims were sleeping with their doors closed fearing theft, the FSCD official said.
The district administration has announced compensation of Tk 20,000 to each deceased family.
Meanwhile, a four-member probe body headed by Additional District Magistrate Mashudul Kabir has been formed in this regard.
The blaze began early on Saturday morning in the slum near the Bhera Market area, said Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ilius Hossain.
Bakalia Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Pranab Chowdhury said that the slum was built illegally in private land near Rajakhali canal.
According to a victim named Hasina Begum, five locals, including individuals named Sattar, Farid and Helal, collected rent from the slum residents.
At least nine persons, including four of a family, were burnt to death as more than 200 shanties were gutted in a slum fire in Chaktai area of Chattogram city early Sunday.
The number of death toll may go up because conditions of several injured persons are critical.
Seven of the deceased were identified as Rahima, 60, her daughters Nasrin, 4, Nazma, 16, and her son Jaker Hossain Babu, 8, Hasina, 35, Ayesha, 37, Shohag, 19, while identities of the two other dead victims could not be known immediately.
A total of 12 fire fighting units finally managed to douse the blaze at 4:15 after 45 minutes of their frantic efforts, said Jasim Uddin, Deputy Assistant Director (DAD) of Agrabad Fire Service and Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) of Chattogram Headquarters.
Around 200 shanties were gutted in the fire but the extent of total damage could not be ascertained immediately, he said.
Most of the victims were sleeping with their doors closed fearing theft, the FSCD official said.
The district administration has announced compensation of Tk 20,000 to each deceased family.
Meanwhile, a four-member probe body headed by Additional District Magistrate Mashudul Kabir has been formed in this regard.
The blaze began early on Saturday morning in the slum near the Bhera Market area, said Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ilius Hossain.
Bakalia Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Pranab Chowdhury said that the slum was built illegally in private land near Rajakhali canal.
According to a victim named Hasina Begum, five locals, including individuals named Sattar, Farid and Helal, collected rent from the slum residents.
