In Photos: Massive Fire races through clothing market in Bangladesh capital Dhaka

Firefighters and army personnel were working on Tuesday to douse a massive fire that raged through a shopping complex with 3,000 shops in Bangladesh's capital of Dhaka. Above: Smoke fills the air during a fire at the Bangabazar market in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Tuesday, April 4, 2023. The Bangabazar market is one of the largest shopping places in the capital Dhaka for cheaper clothes — a labyrinthine structure that has hundreds of shops.

There were no casualties reported so far in the fire, which began in the early hours of Tuesday morning, but army personnel had been called in to help after flames spread rapidly in the cramped, crowded area of Bangabazar, home to the country's famed cloth markets.

Fire service official Rashid bin Khalid told Reuters that 50 fire units were working to douse the fire, the cause of which was not known immediately. Most of the shops were burnt to ashes in the fire, but there was no information on whether any people were trapped inside, given that the fire broke in the early hours of the morning before most shops had opened, Khalid said.

Smoke engulfed the area and flames were seen rising from the complex, hampering rescue efforts, a fire official said. "I have never seen such a fire in my life. Everything in my shop was burnt down," Abdul Mannan said while talking to his relatives on his phone as he broke down in tears.

Shopkeepers in Bangabazar, which houses mostly cloth stores, had stocked up in preparation for the festival of Eid, and most of their goods were destroyed in the fire, The Daily Star newspaper reported.

Lax regulations and poor enforcement have been blamed for industrial fires in the country that have in recent years led to hundreds of deaths.

Firefighters, rescue workers, and helpers work to extinguish a fire.

Many shop owners in Bangabazar Market burst into tears; they had been hoping for good business ahead of Eid-al Fitr later this month. Many merchants tried to save some of their belongings but failed as the fire spread quickly.

The Bangabazar market is one of the largest shopping places in the capital Dhaka for cheaper clothes — a labyrinthine structure that has hundreds of shops.