Korail fire destroys homes leaving families with nothing behind

A fire broke out at Korail slum in the capital’s Mohakhali on Tuesday afternoon and 19 units of Fire Service and Civil Defence were working to bring the flames under control.

The Fire Service received the call at 5:22pm, duty officer at the Fire Service Central Control Room Rashed Bin Khalid confirmed.

As this reporter moved toward the area, a heartbreaking scene unfolded near the waterbody beside the slum.

A man stares at the flames that took his home

Mohammad Jamir Ali, 35, stood quietly at the edge, watching the red flames reflect on the water with tired and wet eyes.

Jamir managed to save only his phone and wallet. He was working at an electronics shop in Gulshan when he heard about the fire. When he reached the slum around 6pm, his home had already burned down.

“I have lived here for more than ten years. My wife and children got out on time, but I could not save anything,” he said.

While he was speaking, a neighbour standing beside him pointed and said, “Look, that is Hasina’s house. That is burning too.”

Scenes like this stretched across the slum, home to countless families.

By 8pm, when this reporter spoke with Jamir Ali, one side of the slum had turned to ashes and the other side was on its way.

Further inside, people were walking out with small plastic bags holding whatever they could save. Others stood in silence or cried.

Fire spreads toward the mosque and graveyard

Another resident, Ripon, standing nearby, pointed at the distance and said, “Do you see that big tree over there? Beside it there is a graveyard and a mosque named Baytul Mamur Mosque. I think the graveyard has also caught fire.”

The dream of a new phone lost in minutes

A group of young men tried to call their friends to check if they were safe. Among them was Russell, 20, who works as an office assistant at a visa company in Gulshan.

His family has five members. His younger brother and father went to the village just a week ago, leaving him, his elder brother and his mother in Dhaka.

He heard about the fire while he was at work. “I saved Tk24,000 in six months to buy a new phone. All that money has been burnt.”

Their fridge, stove, television and clothes were also gone.

A gamcha becomes his last belonging

Another survivor, Motaleb Mia, around 60, works as a security guard at Gulshan Society. He stood holding a gamcha in his hand.

He said, “I have lived here for fifteen years with my family. Everyone got out, but I could save nothing except this gamcha. My phone is inside. I could not contact anyone for a long time. After searching everywhere, I finally found my family.”

When asked where he would sleep tonight, he said he would try to stay at a relative’s house. “The night will get colder as it gets late," he said.

Father's evening plan turns into ashes

But many here do not have relatives in the city. Harun, 35, who worked at a garment factory in Gazipur, stood helpless near the burnt homes.

“I was doing well. My sir trusted me, and I earned a good salary. After work I thought I would wash up and take my three-year-old daughter for a walk. But when I came close, I saw the fire.”

He added, “Sir checked on me and sent Tk10,000. I will see what I can do with it. I have no choice now. I will go back to my village in Naogaon. What else can I do?”