Fires result in Dhaka Crackdown on Dangerous Buildings

As a result of the recent fires and the collapse of an apartment-block in Dhaka the Bangladesh authorities are now cracking down on shoddy building and the illegal chemical factories found in residential areas. The incidents last week killed 144 people with dozens more still hospitalised.

The first incident was a 4 storey block of flats which collapsed on tin shanties, killing 25 living there. The second being a fire which gutted a Dhaka High-Rise killing 119 residents. The building was found to have an illegal chemical warehouse in the basement which fuelled and increased the severity of the blaze according to firefighters.

Demolition of dangerous and unapproved buildings has already started with a number of illegal chemical stores located in residential areas also targeted and shut down by officials.