60 homes gutted in Tongi slum fire

A fire broke out today at a slum in Tongi, leaving at least 60 houses burned.

The incident occurred in Nishat Mohalla slum in Machimpur area in the evening.

According to eyewitnesses, the fire originated in a house at around 6:45pm and quickly spread to adjacent homes, causing panic among residents.

Upon receiving the information, five units from Tongi and Uttara Fire Service and Civil Defence stations rushed to the scene and began efforts to control the blaze.

However, due to narrow pathways inside the slum and poor accessibility for vehicles, fire service units faced difficulties entering the area quickly, resulting in a delay in controlling the fire.

Shaheen Alam, in-charge of Tongi Fire Service and Civil Defence, said at around 9:00pm that the fire was brought under control after about an hour of effort. He added that approximately 60 to 70 houses were damaged in the incident.

He also mentioned that fire service personnel are still present at the scene, conducting dumping operations.

The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage are currently under investigation.