17 killed, 70 injured in deadly Dhaka building fire

17 people were killed and 70 others injured after a massive fire broke out in a high-rise office building in Dhaka. Many people were trapped inside the building and were seen shattering the building's glass windows to ask for help.

Dhaka: A fire in a high-rise office building in Bangladesh's capital on Thursday killed 17 people and injured about 70 others, officials said.

Many people were trapped inside the building, but fire officials said after battling the blaze for several hours that most had been rescued.

People were seen shattering the building's glass windows to ask for help.

Saikot Ahmed, who works in the building that caught fire, said the blaze started either on the 6th or the 7th floor.

He escaped the fire running down the stairs.

Military helicopters joined the rescue operation, and one person dangled from a helicopter hovering over the roof as thick plumes of smoke rose.

Banani, the area where the fire broke out, is a busy commercial district with multi-storey buildings housing offices, universities and restaurants.