Fire at apartment building kills up to 77, injures dozens in Bangladeshi capital

Bangladesh fire kills up to 77, injures dozens

DHAKA, Bangladesh — A devastating fire raced through several apartment complexes in the Bangladeshi capital, killing as many as 77 people and injuring dozens, officials and local media reported.

Fire official Nazrul Islam said the blaze started when an electric transformer exploded late Thursday, igniting a three-story apartment building in the Najirabazar area of old Dhaka. He said “many bodies” had been recovered, but would not specify the number.

“It has caused a huge devastation, we are trying to talk to our officials at the scene to have an exact figure and details of the incident,” he told The Associated Press by phone early Friday.

Local TV station Bangla Vision reported at least 77 deaths, while another station ATN Bangla reported at least 76 died in the fire.

Islam said several injured people were taken to the state-run Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition.

He said the firefighters had the blaze under control and the rescue operation was continuing.

Bangla Vision quoted unnamed fire officials as saying the fire had spread to at least 20 apartment complexes.

TV footage showed the firefighters and residents were carrying injured by tricycle rickshaws to hospitals while many relatives of the victims were wailing.

Bangla Vision said the rescue effort was being hampered since the area is crammed with buildings and roads are narrow.