Massive housing-block fire kills over 100 people

Knight of the Bleach Join date : 2009-06-10

The grisly link.

Quote :: It began when an electrical transformer exploded, setting on fire shops and housing, including a five-storey residential block, where a wedding party was being held on the roof.

The blaze in the old district of Nimtoli has been extinguished, but the search for bodies is still continuing.

Correspondents say this has been the worst fire in Dhaka for over 20 years.

Nimtoli district is crammed with buildings and roads are narrow, making access for the emergency services difficult.

The BBC's Mark Dummett in Dhaka says the city is one of the most densely populated cities in the world - and Nimtoli is its most crowded district.

The blaze engulfed a five-storey apartment block that had metal grilles on its windows and no fire escape.

:( :picard:

Quote :: Fire department chief Abu Nayeem said the fire had engulfed at least seven buildings.

"There were shops selling chemicals on the ground floor, which were caught by the fire as it spread very quickly," he told the AFP news agency.

Ironically, in regards to the wedding party:

Quote :: "The bride was spared from the fire as she had been at the local beauty salon," an eyewitness told AFP.

:( Poor woman...

Quote :: "What I saw here can only be described as scenes from hell - there was nothing we could do - we had to stand at a distance and watch people burning and dying," said Iqbal Hossein.

"Down this street the fire was advancing like lava... and everywhere people were running and screaming in pain and fear. People couldn't help each other - they were dying where they stood."

The blaze started on Thursday night when the transformer exploded after a rainstorm swept the city, police say.

The flames quickly spread to at least six apartment buildings and about 15 stores. The transformer explosion also plunged the area into darkness, making escape more difficult.

"There were screams, shouts for help and total chaos," police spokesman Abul Kalam told the AP news agency.

D: Holy crap, that's just... HOLY CRAP.