Woman burnt alive in Chittagong

Fifty thatched houses were gutted in a fire at Shanur Colony at Boubazar in Chittagong yesterday. PHOTO: STAR

The victim was identified as Ratna, 65, wife of Samir Das of the slum.

Sources and witnesses said the fire broke out at a house of the slum at Masterpole area of Boubazar under Bakulia Police Station at around 12:45am.

The fire spread engulfing the adjoining areas when the elderly woman Ratna got trapped inside it and was burnt alive.

Around fifty thatched houses, three shoe and four plastic factories of different owners were also reduced to ashes in the fire that originated from electric short-circuits, sources said.

Police recovered the charred body of Ratna and sent it to Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) morgue for autopsy.

An Unnatural Death (UD) case was filed with Bakalia Police Station in this connection.

Seven fire fighting units from city's different fire stations rushed to the spot and extinguished the blaze after a three-hour effort.

Owner of the slum Shahnewaj Shanu claimed that damages in the fire would exceed Tk 20 lakh. However, the fire service estimated the loss at Tk 10.8 lakh.