Dozens Killed in Multi-Storey Building Fire in Bangladesh
At least 43 people lose their lives in tragic incident
29 February 2024, 21:07 GMT
Updated 2 minutes ago
Image caption:
Dozens of people were trapped in the multi-storey building after the fire broke out
At least 43 people have been killed after a fire broke out in a multi-storey building in Bangladesh, according to the country’s health minister.
The blaze originated in a restaurant in the capital, Dhaka, starting around 10:00 PM local time (4:00 PM GMT) on Thursday, as reported by local media.
The fire rapidly spread through the building, resulting in the tragic confinement of numerous individuals.
Fire officials have announced that the fire is now under control, and the investigation into its cause has commenced.
Samanta Lal Sen, the Health Minister of Bangladesh, revealed that 33 victims, including women and children, were pronounced dead at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
An additional 10 individuals lost their lives at the city’s primary burns hospital, with dozens more currently seeking medical treatment, as stated by Mr. Sen.
Emergency services were dispatched to the Kacchi Bhai restaurant, situated within a seven-floor building along with several other restaurants, clothing stores, and mobile phone shops, as part of the complex.
“We were on the sixth floor when we initially noticed smoke quickly enveloping the staircase,” recounted Sohel, a restaurant manager cited by AFP.
“Many people rushed upstairs, and we utilized a water pipe to descend from the building.
“Some of us sustained injuries while jumping from higher floors,” Sohel added.
Mohammad Altaf, a survivor, narrowly escaped the inferno by squeezing through a broken window.
He tragically recounted the loss of two colleagues who had valiantly aided rescue efforts.
Regrettably, fires in both commercial and residential structures remain a common occurrence in Bangladesh, frequently attributed to poor safety awareness and insufficient regulatory enforcement.
