44 killed, several injured as fire breaks out at building in Bangladesh
Dhaka Building Fire: A fire in a seven-storey building in Bangladesh's capital killed 44 people, injured 22 critically. Health officials fear the death toll may rise due to severe burns and respiratory damage.
Follow44 people died in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka late Thursday after a fire blazed through a seven-storey building. The blaze in the building in Dhaka’s upscale Bailey Road, which also contains a popular biryani restaurant, has been contained.
The fire was contained by firefighters, and an investigation has been started to determine what started the fire. 33 people, including women and children, were declared dead at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital while 10 others died at the city’s main burns hospital, Bangladesh’s Health Minister, Samanta Lal Sen, said.
The emergency services were called to the Kacchi Bhai restaurant. Popular restaurant franchise Kacchi Bhai occupies a seven-story skyscraper. According to the restaurant's website, the fire originated at one of the establishment's lower floors.
In addition, the building has a number of apparel and cell phone stores and various eateries. "The first time we noticed smoke shooting through the stairs, we were on the sixth story. Numerous individuals hurried upstairs," a restaurant manager named Sohel told the news agency AFP.
"We descended the structure using a water pipe. As they leaped from upstairs, some of us suffered injuries," he remarked.
Others cried out for assistance as they were stuck on the rooftop. Muhammad Altaf, another survivor, claimed that he barely avoided the fire by looking out a shattered window. He said that after helping others escape the fire, two of his coworkers passed away.
In Bangladesh, fires that occur in both residential and commercial structures are frequently attributed to insufficient enforcement of safety standards and a lack of safety knowledge.
