Bangladesh: 44 killed, 22 injured after fire breaks out at commercial building in Dhaka

Dhaka: In a tragic incident, at least 44 people were killed while 22 were severely injured in a deadly fire that broke out at a building in Bangladesh. The fire broke out at a six-storey commercial building on Baily Road in Dhaka late on Thursday night, reports said in this regard.

As per speculations, the fire might have originated from a cylinder blast. However, the exact reason behind the accident is yet to be ascertained. Of the deceased, 33 died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and 10 in Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen.

Samanta Lal Sen further added that more than 22 people were severely burned are battling for their lives. Around 75 people were rescued from Green Cozy Cottage Shopping Mall. Among which, 42 were in an unconscious state.

The Fire Service says the Green Cozy Cottage houses Kacchi Bhai biriyani shop, an outlet of retailer Illiyeen, and several other shops.

Locals and firefighters were seen rescuing the people trapped inside the building in some of the videos. Reportedly, he fire broke out around 9:50 p.m on Thursday. After about two hours, it was brought under control.

Mohammad Rashed, a rescue worker of the Fire Service, exited through the back of the building with five other workers. All of them escaped out of the building with air jumping bags.

A security guard in an adjacent building recounted his experience saying, “There was no fire at first, we only saw smoke. When I went to the ground floor of the building to inspect the matter I heard a gas cylinder burst and the fire spread to the upper floors of the building.”

“The fire at the building in Bangladesh spread so fast that the Fire service was struggling to rescue people. Some got down from the building by climbing a rope, but many were injured in this way,” he added.

Three platoons of paramilitary, Bangladesh Ansar and one of the specially trained Ansar Guard Battalion have been deployed to help in the fire and rescue operation working together with the Fire service.

At least 19 people have been rescued so far, Fire Service officials said. Nearly 12 units of the firefighters worked to douse the fire and carry out rescue operations.

(With inputs from IANS)

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