A 19-year-old man has died after a fire broke out in the T&T Colony area of Korail slum in the capital’s Banani neighbourhood early on Sunday (15 November). The blaze destroyed between seven and eight residential structures and a shop, causing damage to several properties in the densely populated settlement.
The fire broke out at around 4.53am in the western section of T&T Colony. Fire Service personnel were alerted and three firefighting units were dispatched to the scene to tackle the blaze.
According to the authorities, firefighters managed to bring the fire under control at approximately 5.20am, around 27 minutes after it was reported. However, several homes and a nearby shop had already been damaged by the flames.
The victim was identified as Shahriar Rahman Shuvro, 19. His father is Md Monir Hossain and his mother is Morsheda Akter Mita. His family home is in the Shiryug village of Jhalakathi Sadar Upazila, in Jhalakathi district.
Shuvro had been living in rented accommodation in the Satellite Gate area of T&T Colony, within Korail slum.
Sub-Inspector Afrin Akhtar, the duty officer at Banani Police Station, confirmed the death to local media. She said one person had died in the fire, identifying the incident as a fatal residential blaze in the area.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the fire risks facing residents of densely populated informal settlements in Dhaka. Korail is one of the capital’s largest densely populated residential areas, where numerous homes and small businesses stand close together. In such environments, a fire can spread rapidly from one structure to another, particularly when buildings are separated by narrow passages and have limited space between them.
The close arrangement of residential structures can also make it challenging for emergency crews to reach affected properties and carry out firefighting operations. A fire in these circumstances can put not only individual households but also neighbouring residents at risk.
Although firefighters brought Sunday’s blaze under control within a relatively short period, the loss of life highlights the serious consequences such incidents can have for people living in vulnerable housing conditions.
The cause of the fire has not yet been established. No further details have been released regarding the circumstances surrounding Shuvro’s death or the full extent of the property damage. Authorities have confirmed the fatality and the damage to the homes and shop, while further information about the incident is awaited.
