Four members of a family, including a child, were burned to death and seven were injured in a fire that broke out at an illegal warehouse storing chemicals in Godarbag area of Keraniganj early Tuesday.
The deceased were identified as Jasmin Akter Ratri,38, and her daughters Meena Akter,20, Isha,18 and one and a half year old Tayeba.
The blaze started around 4 am at the warehouse, leaving them dead and seven others injured including Sohag, husband of deceased Meena Akter, said Mamun Ur Rashid, officer-in-charge (OC) of Keraniganj Model police station.
The injured were rescued and rushed to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery under Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), he said.
“The injured are being treated at the hospital,” said Bacchu Mia, in-charge of DMCH police outpost.
On information, six firefighting units rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control around 6:15 am, said Deputy Assistant Director of Fire Service (in charge of Dhaka South) Samsuzzaman.
Besides, more than 100 people living around the warehouse fell sick inhaling toxic gas after the chemical warehouse caught fire.
There are about 50 to 60 illegal chemical godowns in Godarbag residential area, leaving hundreds of families in danger, the fire official added.
The cause of the fire can be identified after an investigation, Samsuzzaman said.