In a major fire in a 22-story tower block in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka, at least 19 people have died according to the fire department. Several people died after trying to escape with a jump out of the burning office tower, the authorities said. 60 injured were hospitalized.
More victims feared
It is feared that more people could have been trapped by the flames. The fire department searches the building. Shoikot Rahman, who works in the skyscraper, said he quickly ran out when he heard about the fire. „Many of my colleagues are still stuck in the office,“ he added.
Arif Hossain worked in an office on the thirteenth floor of the building and, according to his own statements, was temporarily stuck with five colleagues. The smoke was too dense, he said, to use the stairs. „In a moment we gave up hope that we would survive,“ he said. Finally, they broke the windows and were rescued by the fire department.
Fire is now cleared
The fire broke out around noon (local time) from initially unknown cause on the ninth floor of the building. Flames leapt out of the window and a column of smoke rose into the sky above the bustling Banani shopping district. Numerous units of the fire department were in action, the army also participated. Helicopters dropped water over the burning building and lowered ropes to rescue trapped people. After about six hours, the fire was extinguished.
Fires in Bangladesh are not uncommon
Partly because of the lack of fire protection devices, deadly fires in Bangladesh are not uncommon – for example in the textile factories of the poor, densely populated South Asian country.
Only in February, at least 70 people were killed in a major fire in the old town of the 20-million metropolis Dhaka. The fire broke out in one of the many illegal chemical factories in the local market area.
