A massive fire tore through one of Dhaka’s largest slums on Tuesday evening, leaving thousands of people homeless and turning rows of tin-roofed shanties into charred rubble, officials said.

The blaze started shortly after sunset in the heart of the capital, in Korail — one of Bangladesh’s largest and most crowded slums.

Home to nearly 80,000 people, the settlement sits wedged between the affluent Gulshan and Banani neighbourhoods and is flanked by clusters of upscale apartment towers. Orange flames rose into the night sky and heavy smoke blanketed the area as people fled with whatever belongings they could carry.

At least 19 fire engines were sent to tackle the inferno, Fire Service official Talha Bin Zasim said.

“Heavy traffic slowed our arrival, and once inside, the narrow lanes forced us to leave the engines at a distance,” he said. Firefighters dragged long hoses through the cramped alleys and scrambled to secure enough water, battling for more than five hours before the flames were finally brought under control.

The cause of the fire remains unclear.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, but residents said the destruction was near total. “Everything I had is gone. How will I survive now?” said Amena Begum, tears rolling down her cheeks as she stared at the charred remains of her home.

Lax regulations and poor enforcement have often been blamed for large fires in the South Asian nation that have killed hundreds of people in recent years.