Fire service sources said the fire originated from an oven from a slum, owned by one Jaher Mia, adjacent to Shane Gausia Ispahani Jute Mill in the city's Kalurghat area at around 9:55pm.

The fire spread fast engulfing the slums and reduced the 21 houses to ashes. The houses include 11 tin-roofed, 7 semi pucca and 3 thatched houses and a tin-roofed prayer house.

Six fire fighting units from different fire stations of the city rushed to the spot and managed to extinguish the fire after two hours.

The loss was estimated at around Tk 5 lakh.