A massive fire that broke out at the Korail slum in the capital has been brought under control after five hours, though firefighters say it will take more time to fully extinguish the flames.
Shahjahan Shikder, acting officer of the Fire Service Headquarters media cell, confirmed that the fire was brought under control at 10:35pm on Tuesday with efforts from 20 units of the Fire Service. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are yet to be determined.
Earlier, around 5:30pm, the Fire Service issued a statement confirming the blaze at Korail slum.
Around 10pm, Fire Service Director (Operations and Maintenance) Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury said the intensity of the flames had decreased and firefighters had managed to contain the fire in several areas.
According to the Fire Service, the fire spread rapidly as it took time for the first units to reach the scene.
The initial units took 30 to 35 minutes to arrive due to narrow lanes, traffic congestion and crowds of people blocking access for large fire trucks.
Fire Service officials reported incidents of pipes being cut, hose joints being opened, and scuffles with law enforcement, which further disrupted operations.
“There is no shortage of water, but it is taking time to get water to the center of the fire. Because the area is large, we had to connect pipes across many points,” the Fire Service official said.
On the ground, firefighters were seen pumping water from Korail Lake through extended hoses, while WASA water tankers also helped supply water.
