Bangladesh fire leaves 50,000 people homeless, destroys 15,000 homes in Dhaka slum
CGTN
[]
A Bangladeshi man tries to extinguish fire as a fire blazes in a slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 16, 2019. /VCG Photo

A Bangladeshi man tries to extinguish fire as a fire blazes in a slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 16, 2019. /VCG Photo

Around 50,000 people have been left homeless in Bangladesh by a fire which tore through a slum in the capital of Dhaka. About 15,000 homes were destroyed in the Chalantika slum late on Friday, according to BBC.

There was no news of deaths, but at least four people including a firefighter were injured in the incident. Many residents were reportedly away from the city to celebrate the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha at the time of the fire.

The fire erupted at the Jhilpar slum around 7:22 pm and Fire Service responded around 7:28 pm. According to a local press, as many as 24 firefighting units were deployed at the scene and it took more than six hours to put out the flames.

People gather at a rooftop to watch the fire that broke out at a slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 16, 2019. /VCG Photo

People gather at a rooftop to watch the fire that broke out at a slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 16, 2019. /VCG Photo

The fire is thought to have spread quickly as many homes in the slum are made from wood or bamboo and had plastic roofs. All residents living there are being in the lower-income group.

There is no word yet on the cause of the fire, but locals suspect the fire may have originated from a short circuit, or from a stove. An investigation has been under way, and will issue a report within 15 working days.

The government says make-shift shelters have been constructed and relief will be provided for the many thousands who are now without shelter.

Slum dwellers sit on the street with their belongings as fire is engulfing their shelters, Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 16, 2019. /VCG Photo

Slum dwellers sit on the street with their belongings as fire is engulfing their shelters, Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 16, 2019. /VCG Photo

Bangladesh has a poor safety record when it comes to fire. Many buildings are cheaply made, and stand densely, which means flames can quickly engulf an entire building and then quickly to others.

In February, at least 80 people were killed and 50 others injured in Dhaka after a fire broke out at a residential building and quickly spread to a densely-packed, historical district of the city.

In 2012, 112 people were killed when a fire ripped through the Tazreen Fashions garment factory outside Dhaka, which is one of the worst disasters in the country's recent history.