A massive fire that tore through the Kalshi slum in Dhaka’s Pallabi area on Monday evening was brought under control after a grueling two-hour operation.
The Fire Service and Civil Defence confirmed that the blaze was finally subdued at 9:35 PM. However, the emergency response faced severe challenges, highlighting ongoing systemic issues with urban traffic management and utility infrastructure in the capital's crowded settlements.
The fire broke out at approximately 7:23 PM. The first two firefighting units arrived at the scene by 7:32 PM and immediately began operations.
As the flames spread rapidly through the densely packed shanties, authorities continuously reinforced the response, eventually deploying a total of 15 firefighting units.
According to Fire Service officials, emergency teams faced major hurdles trying to contain the disaster:
Severe Traffic Congestion: Reinforcement fire engines struggled to reach the spot quickly due to heavy traffic gridlock on the roads leading to Kalshi.
Acute Water Shortage: Once on-site, firefighters faced a critical shortage of water, significantly hindering their ability to suppress the flames immediately.
The exact cause of the fire, the total extent of property damage, and whether there are any casualties have yet to be determined. Investigations are ongoing.
