Ruptly
"A massive fire tore through the Baunia slum area in Dhaka on Monday evening, leaving around 500 families homeless after flames rapidly spread through the densely populated settlement. Footage from the scene showed firefighters and local residents battling flames and thick smoke as entire rows of homes were reduced to ash. According to local authorities, the fire started at around 7 p.m. local time and spread quickly across the settlement before firefighters could bring it under control. Fifteen fire service units and more than 120 firefighters were deployed to the area. Officials said narrow access roads and limited water supply complicated rescue and firefighting efforts in the crowded neighbourhood. “I couldn’t save anything,” said resident Najma Akhter, whose home and shop were destroyed in the blaze. “I had household items and goods for my shop, but everything was burned to ashes.” Another resident, Hazera Begum, said she had lost both her source of income and her home. “Everything I had has been burned down,” she said. “I had a shop and seven rental rooms, and all of it was destroyed.” Victims described scenes of panic as residents attempted to rescue family members and belongings while the fire rapidly spread between homes built closely together. “We escaped with our lives only,” said resident Abdus Sattar. “We don’t even have anything left to cook or eat because all our food was burned.” The cause of the fire has not yet been officially confirmed, although local media reports cited allegations that unidentified individuals may have deliberately started the blaze. The Baunia slum fire is part of a recurring pattern of major urban fires in Dhaka’s informal settlements, where densely packed housing, limited infrastructure and restricted access routes make those living in makeshift houses extremely vulnerable to fire and the elements. According to Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence data, hundreds of fire incidents are recorded annually in the capital’s slum areas."
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