At least 43 dead in building fire in Bangladeshi capital Dhaka

Bangladeshi media are reporting that at least 43 people have died in a fire at a commercial building in the capital Dhaka.

The fire started around 10 p.m. on Thursday on the first floor and quickly spread.

Local media reports say people tried to flee to the upper floors of the seven-story building, but many of them, including children, were trapped.

Firefighters rushed to the scene, and the blaze subsided in about two hours.

Media reports quote health authorities as saying that at least 43 people have died and dozens of others are injured.

The building housed multiple restaurants and they were reportedly open when the fire broke out.

Local police and emergency workers are looking into the cause of the fire.

xinhua