At least three people were killed in a fire that broke out at a 7-storey residential building in the capital’s Uttara early Friday.
The identities of the deceased could not be confirmed immediately.
The blaze started around 7:50am on the first floor of a seven-storey building at Sector 11, Road 18, according to the Fire Service and Civil Defence control room.
Two units from Uttara Fire Station arrived at the scene at 7:58am and began efforts to control the flames.
Firefighters brought the fire under control at 8:25am.
The fire was fully extinguished around 10:00am, said Talha Bin Zasim, an official of the Fire Service Media Wing.
Thirteen people were rescued and taken to Kuwait Maitri Hospital, where three were declared dead, he added.
Mahmuda Akter, a resident of the adjacent building, said that she heard people shouting “fire, fire” in the morning and saw flames on the second floor.
“Several people, including a woman, were screaming for help from inside,” she said.
Later, she informed the fire service.
Uttara West Police Station Officer-in-Charge Rafiqul Ahmed said that at least three people have died so far.
“We are checking. The death toll may rise,” he added.
The cause of the fire could not be determined immediately.
Fire service officials said further details would be available after an assessment.
