Inferno engulfs Karail slum as fire trucks crawl through traffic

A devastating fire has erupted in Dhaka’s sprawling Karail slum, sending thick black smoke billowing over the capital and triggering chaos as residents scramble for safety. 

But the battle to douse the flames is being crippled – not by lack of resources, but by traffic.

The alarm reached the Fire Service and Civil Defence at 5:22 pm Tuesday, November 25. 

Eleven fire units were immediately dispatched. Yet by 5:50 pm, not a single engine had reached the burning slum.

“They are on the way but stuck in traffic,” confirmed Rashed Bin Khalid, Duty Officer at the Fire Service Central Control Room.

By 6:05 pm, only seven units managed to reach the raging flames, while four engines remained trapped in gridlock – minutes ticking away as the fire spreads across tin-sheds and makeshift homes.

From the ground, a Jago News correspondent reports residents crying, rushing with buckets, and trying desperately to salvage what little they own.

The extent of casualties or damage remains unknown. The cause of the fire is also still unclear.

Karail – wedged between Mohakhali and the upscale neighbourhoods of Gulshan and Banani – is one of Dhaka’s most densely populated settlements, making the situation even more explosive.

As emergency responders struggle to gain access, thousands wait in fear – watching their homes burn.