A massive fire swept through the Korail slum on Tuesday evening (November 25), leaving hundreds of residents scrambling for safety and destroying everything in its path.
The blaze, which intensified rapidly, gave many slum families no chance to salvage their belongings.
Amid the chaos, Rozina, a resident, broke down in tears on the roadside after fleeing her burning home. “I couldn’t save a single thing,” she cried. “Everything we owned—earned through so much struggle—burned to ashes. Why would Allah show us something like this?” she said before collapsing into sobs.
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Another resident, Kamal, was seen running with a television on his head and a gas cylinder clutched in his hand. “These are the only two things I have saved,” he said breathlessly. “Everything else turned to dust before my eyes.”
Amid the flames, schoolboy Rafi and his mother Rahima were spotted rushing out of their home with a heavy sack and two large bags. With the family’s male members away, the mother and son struggled to save what they could.
“Our house caught fire too,” Rahima said. “This is the second fire we’ve faced in six years. We managed to escape with some belongings last time, but this time even our costly furniture couldn’t be saved.”
Meanwhile, firefighters faced severe challenges in controlling the blaze due to an acute shortage of water. Water-carrying vehicles were delayed as they became stuck in traffic, forcing authorities to resort to an emergency alternative.
Three generators were installed beside a nearby waterbody to pump water directly to the scene. Multiple hoses were connected to disperse water toward the burning structures, as firefighters battled to bring the flames under control.
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Despite their efforts, the extent of destruction is expected to be significant, with hundreds of families now homeless and waiting for relief.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire or the full scale of the damage.
Earlier, Talha Bin Jashim, duty officer at the Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) headquarters media cell, said the fire originated from one of the shanties of the slum around 5:22pm.
Fire Service and Civil Defence Director (Operations & Maintenance) Lt. Col. Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury said the flames are gradually decreasing.
“We have strengthened our operations here, and nearly 20 units are now working at the scene,” he said.
“We have managed to confine the fire. The next step is to identify the source of the blaze. We hope to share some good news within the next couple of hours. However, nothing can be said with certainty at this moment,” he added.
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