Police have obtained a preliminary assessment of the cause of a devastating fire at a seven-story residential building in Uttara, Dhaka, that killed six people.
The blaze originated in the kitchen of a flat on the building’s second floor. This information was provided by Uttara West Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Rafiqul Ahmed during a briefing with journalists at his office on Friday.
OC Rafiqul Ahmed said: “Our investigation so far indicates that the fire started in the kitchen of a flat on the second floor. It may have been caused by an electrical short circuit or a gas leak. However, the matter cannot be confirmed until the Fire Service submits its final report.”
Police have confirmed that six individuals have died in the incident, including three members of the same family. Of the deceased, three passed away at Kuwait Maitree Hospital, two at a private hospital in Uttara, and one at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. The bodies of the deceased remain at the respective hospitals.
Earlier, the Fire Service reported that the fire broke out at 7:50am on Friday on the second floor of the building located on Road No 18 in Sector 11, Uttara.
Two units of the Fire Service brought the fire under control after approximately half an hour. Among the 13 individuals rescued in a burned or critical condition, six subsequently succumbed to their injuries.
