At least 70 people were killed and dozens were injured when a fast-moving fire ripped through several buildings at Old Dhaka’s Chawkbazar late on Wednesday.
As many 37 fire-fighting units worked for 15 hours to douse the flames. The fire became less visible after water was sprayed from helicopters.
The blaze was highly difficult to control because of flammable chemicals that were stored in several buildings, the fire service said.
More than 40 people have been admitted to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Nine of them were in critical conditions, according to burns unit doctors. 
Around 12pm on Thursday, Dhaka South City Mayor Sayeed Khokon, said the rescue operations have ended by firefighters will remain at the scene to monitor the situation.
“So far, 70 people have been killed and 41 others injured. Of the injured, 32 have been released after giving first aid with nine other being treated at Dhaka Medical College’s burn unit.”
How the fire started
The fire broke out in a building with shops on its ground floor, a warehouse for plastics and flammable material on the first, and homes on three floors above, a local police official, Shamim Harun ur Rashid, told Reuters.
According to witnesses, the blaze spread after the explosion of gas cylinders in an adjoining restaurant and a parked van.
Hundreds of burnt perfume or deodorant cans littered the road near the partially collapsed building where the fire began, a Reuters witness said.
Rescue operation
As many as 37 units of fire service worked altogether for nearly 15 hours before they were able to tame the flames.
It was highly difficult to control because of flammable chemicals that were stored in several buildings, said Shakil Newaz, Director (operations) of Fire Service and Civil Defence.
On Thursday morning, firefighters were seen recovering charred bodies from the buildings and used body bags to send these to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).
According to the Fire Service Director Newaz, old Dhaka buildings are like explosives and an accident may happen any moment,
“Old Dhaka has to be restructured, otherwise, there may be bigger accidents in the future,” warned Newaz. 
Meanwhile, the DMCH authorities have started handing over the bodies to the families.
Until Thursday afternoon, as many as 37 bodies have been identified, said Additional Divisional Commissioner Selim Reza.
He said that families of the dead victims are being given Tk 20,000 for the funeral.
Compensation
The government will bear the treatment cost of those injured, Health Minister Zahid Maleque told the media.
Meanwhile, the labour ministry announced a Tk 100,000 compensation for the families of dead workers and Tk 50,000 as medical expenses for those injured.
Probe panel
A five-member panel has been formed to inquire into the fire, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told media, adding that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was monitoring the situation.
Immediate step
The Dhaka South City Corporation authorities said they will remove all chemical warehouses at the capital’s Old Dhaka.
“The mobile courts have started operations since Monday (Feb 18) to evict the chemical warehouses,” Mayor Khokon told the media while calling off the rescue operation.
“The warehouses will be transferred to a location in Keraniganj,” he said.
Wednesday’s fire brings back to mind the devastating 2010 fire just a half a kilometre away at Old Dhaka’s Nimtali killing 124 people.
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