At least 40 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in a fire in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka.
Unconfirmed reports broadcast by Bangladesh television stations said the final death toll could reach as high as 100.
The rescue operation and search for bodies will continue overnight.
'The death toll is now 40 and the figure may rise and we are searching for more victims,' a firefighter told Reuters news agency.
The fire was started by an explosion in an electrical transformer at 10.30pm (5.30pm Irish time).
Witnesses said it then spread to residential and commercial buildings in an old part of Dhaka.
The dead and injured have been taken to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Off-duty medical staff have been called in to help as the hospital struggled to cope with the numbers of casualties.
