Gazipur fire kills man, injure four

An elderly man was burned to death and four others were injured as a fire broke out at a labour colony in Gazipur city's Dakkhinpara area on Thursday night.

The deceased -- Sobed Miah, 70, was a vegetable trader in the colony, said locals, adding that his grandson Shimul, 8, is among the injured.

Besides, a 40-year-old man named Sabuj Mia remained traceless following the fire incident, residents of the colony told The Daily Star.

Jahirul Islam, a nephew of Sobed, said the fire originated from a gas cylinder in the kitchen of his uncle's house around 9:00pm.

“Within a minute, it went out of control and spread to the entire colony. Sobed died on the spot as he was asleep,” said Jahirul.

Akhtaruzzaman, deputy assistant director of Gazipur Fire Service and Civil Defence, said on information, two fire fighting units rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control in an hour.

Three locals were injured while they were trying to extinguish the fire, he said.

The injured child was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital's burn unit in a critical condition, he added.