Bangladesh fire kills dozens in crowded district

At least 81 people died when an apartment building caught fire in an older, overcrowded part of Bangladesh’s capital, officials said Thursday. The blaze began late Wednesday night in a building in Dhaka’s Chawkbazar district. It quickly spread to several other buildings, including some that stored chemicals and plastics. The buildings also housed shops and restaurants. Many of the casualties were trapped inside the buildings, and the death toll could rise as some of the 50 injured people remain in critical condition, according to local officials.

Structural fires and collapses are common in the South Asian nation, where authorities fail to enforce safety standards. In 2012, fire engulfed a garment factory on the outskirts of Dhaka, killing at least 112 people. The same year, more than 1,000 people died when an eight-story factory complex collapsed in the city.