Smoke billows out of a fire in a slum at Shyamali in the capital on Wednesday that burnt down at least 500 shanties and rendered several thousand people homeless. — New Age photo

At least 500 shanties were burnt in a fire at a slum behind Shyamali Kazi Office at Shyamoli while a Bata showroom was damaged in another fire at Farmgate on Wednesday.
Six fire fighters and nine slum dwellers including two minor boys were injured in the incidents of fire in the capital.
The fire at the slum, located on road 2 under Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police station, broke out at about 8:30am.
Local people panicked as the fire immediately spread in the slum and to adjacent small houses, witnesses said.
The fire spread so fast that they, they could only rush out of the slum with members of their families, leaving behind all their belongings, Sahana Begum, a slum dweller, told New Age.
Twelve fire fighting units from different fire stations rushed to the spot at about 9:00am, fire service and civil defence Dhaka district assistant director Monir Hossain said, adding that they were able to bring the fire under control at about 10:15am and totally put it down at about 11:00am.
At least 500 shanties of the slum situated on an unused water-body and six adjacent one-storey buildings were burnt while boundary walls of some buildings were affected by the fire.
At least seven slum dwellers were injured while they tried to put down the fire and two minor boys — Bijoy, 10, and Hridoy, 12, sons of Khairul Islam, were recovered with severe burn injuries. They were admitted in burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Sahana Begum, whose shanty was burnt in the fire, told New Age that she lived in the slum with four children and her rickshaw-puller husband and all of their belongings were destroyed in the fire.
Zia Uddin, duty officer at the fire service headquarters, however, reported that 230 shanties were burnt in the fire which originated from a short circuit. 
Meanwhile, another fire broke out at a showroom of Bata Shoe Company at Farmgate at about Wednesday midnight.
Five fire fighting units from different fire stations rushed to the spot and put out the fire at about 6:00am, the duty officer said.
The fire originated from a short circuit and the showroom was completely damaged in the fire, the fire official said.
Six fire fighters were injured after they came in contact with live electric wires while trying to put out the fire, said fire service duty officer Zia Uddin.
The injured fire fighters were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.