DHAKA, Jan 16, 2026 (BSS)- At least six people were killed in a devastating fire that broke out in a residential building in the city's Uttara area on Friday morning, authorities confirmed.

The six dead included two women, one man and a child. The names and identities of the other deceased are not yet known.

The fire erupted around 7:50 am in a flat on the second floor of a six- to seven-storey residential building on Road 18, Sector 11 in Uttara. 

Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) received the alert at 7:54 am and immediately dispatched firefighting units to the scene.

According to FSCD media officer Talha Bin Jasim, two fire units from Uttara Fire Station reached the building by 7:58 am, with more units joining shortly afterward.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control around 8:25 am and fully extinguished it by around 10:00 am.

Initially, three people were found dead at the scene, while 13 injured residents were taken to Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital for treatment. 

Later, three more victims died while undergoing treatment, raising the death toll to six, said Uttara Division Deputy Commissioner of Police Shahriar Ali.

Fire service officials said the fire spread rapidly due to a large amount of furniture inside the affected flat. 

Md Abdul Mannan, deputy assistant director of Fire Service Dhaka Zone-3, said the fire may have originated from an electrical short circuit, although the exact cause will be confirmed following an investigation.

The flames spread from the second floor to the third floor, worsening the situation and filling the building with thick smoke.

Local residents described scenes of panic and chaos as occupants struggled to escape the smoke-filled stairwells.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident and urged residents to strictly adhere to fire safety measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.