Most people who died in the deadly Chawkbazar blaze were either on the road or took refuge in shops by bringing down the shutters, said witnesses and fire service officials.

A fireman says that 24 bodies were recovered from the ground floor of the stricken building, where ill-fated people possibly took shelter.

Bodies were also recovered from nearby shops and restaurants.

When gas cylinders started to explode, many shops brought down their shutters with the hope that they would be safe. However, once the intensity of the fire rose, they died inside the shops.

Churihatta in Chawkbazar has turned in to a zone of destruction; countless private cars, rickshaws, vans, cycles have been burnt. When the fire broke out, there was a traffic jam in Churihatta and as a result, many died on the road.

The fire broke out in a four-storey building on Wednesday night and quickly spread to nearby buildings in the Chawkbazar area of Old Dhaka, which dates back to the Mughal period more than 300 years ago.

Fire fighters fought for more than five hours to bring it under control, although it was still burning early on Thursday.

The reason behind the fire could not be known yet.

Health ministry asked the hospital for taking necessary steps to ensure the proper treatment of the victims.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said all the fire victims will be compensated.