The New Nation - Internet Edition

bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Three Bangladeshis were killed and four others injured in a fire at a house in New York early on Saturday, the New York Times said.

Referring to neighbours and Fire Department officials, the newspaper said the fire 'started in the basement of an illegally subdivided house in Queens'.

Police identified one of the dead as SD Jahan, 31.

Others could not be identified immediately.

"Neighbours said they were in their 30s and all of them were from Bangladesh", NY Times said.

Two died at the scene while the third one died of cardiac arrest on the way to hospital.

The two-storey wood-frame house is owned by Subir and Marina Barua.

Nayan Barua, a friend of the owners, said two of the dead men had lived in the house and the third was a guest.

The house is used as a cultural centre and a boarding house as well for members of Bangladesh's Buddhist community, the newspaper said quoting the neighbours and relatives of the owners.

Subir Barua is the president of the executive committee listed on the website of the World Barua Organisation which describes itself as a "nonpolitical, socio-cultural and welfare organisation", the newspaper said.