Massive fire rips through B'desh slum

Dhaka, June 8 (IANS) A massive fire ripped through one of the largest slums in Dhaka, destroying at least 100 shanties, authorities said.A total of 18 fire units were dispatched to extinguish the blaze at about 9.15 a.m., on Monday, Fire Service Headquarters Duty Officer Lima Khanom told Xinhua news agency.No casualty has been reported so far.The Saat Tola slum in Dhaka's Mohakhali area, a densely populated residential complex, is home to many poor residents.Deputy Director of Fire Service and Civil Defence Debashish Bardhan told Xinhua that they have not yet determined the exact cause of the blaze.He said the fire erupted at around 3.59 a.m., on Monday and it soon engulfed an area with some 2,000 shanties in the slum."At least 100 of the shanties made of scrap sheet iron, plastic and cardboard were destroyed fully in the devastating fire," said the senior official.Local media reports put the number of shanties destroyed fully or partially in the fire at 500.
--IANS ksk/