At least one person died and 10 others including a teenage boy suffered severe burns as a fire broke out at a shop in the capital’s Tejgaon area yesterday.
Of them, six were injured critically as their respiratory tracts were badly burnt in the fire, Prof Dr Mohammad Sazzad Khondokar of burn unit at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, told the Dhaka Tribune. “We are trying our best to provide the fire victims with proper treatment,” he said.
The deceased is van driver Abdul Latif, 55, who was waiting outside the building on the vehicle during the fire. He received Abdul Latif 96% burn injuries.
The injured were identified as shop owner Mahmudul Hasan, 38, his friend Ibrahim Khalil, 35, shop employee Motaleb, 14, van driver Jahirul Islam, 60, World University students Shammi Akter Jhilik, 19, and Rifat Ara Yasmin, 19, and Saiful Alam, 48, Mohammad Maksud, 36, Uzzal, 24, and Jakir Hossain, 38, a security guard of Alauddin garments housed in the building.
Majharul Islam, officer-in-charge of Tejgaon police station, said the fire broke out at Mahfuz Sewing and Service in Tejkunipara bazar area around 2:15pm. On information, three fire fighting units rushed to the spot and put out the flames around 3:30pm, he said.
Kamruzzaman Manik, manager of the shop, told the Dhaka Tribune that a drum loaded with 200 litres of phenyle reached their shop at 2pm and he opened the lid of the drum. Later, some chemicals came out of the drum and scattered on the shop floor.
“I went to wash my body. A fire broke out before I had come back to the shop, leaving the owner and staff injured,” he added.
Of the injured, Ibrahim Khalil received 91% burn injuries while Motaleb 75%, Saiful Alam 95%, Mohammad Maksud 25%, Uzzal 20% and Jakir Hossain 25% burn injuries.
Meanwhile, four other people suffered burn injuries as a fire broke out at Shohag Shoe Factory in Alinagar area of Kamrangirchar around 6pm. Victims Mantu Sheikh, 40, Abdur Rashid, 21, Alamgir, 14, and Rubel, 21, were admitted to the DMCH burn unit.
Rashid said the fire broke out from sparking of a shoe finishing machine while they were working there. The local people later put out the fire after half an hour hectic effort, he added.