Banani fire: Another victim succumbs, death toll now 26

The death toll from Banani FR tower fire rose to 26 as one of the injured victims died at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) this morning.

SM Mostaq Ahmed, deputy commissioner of (Gulshan Division) Dhaka Metropolitan Police confirmed it to The Daily Star.

The deceased, Abu Hena Golam Mostafa, 60, was undergoing treatment at the CMH with burn injuries, the DC said.

Twenty-five people were killed and some 70 injured in Thursday's deadly fire that ripped through the 22-storey FR Tower in Dhaka's Banani area.

All the bodies were handed over to the families yesterday. Of the 70 injured, at least 23 were taking treatment at different hospitals.

CAUSE STILL UNKNOWN

Fire officials suspected that an electrical short-circuit on the seventh floor might have caused the blaze on Thursday noon. But, they said, it was not possible to say anything for sure before the investigation completes.

The deadly blaze left a trail of devastation on the seventh, eighth and ninth floor where almost everything was charred beyond recognition. No mentionable damage was seen up to the fifth floor.

Heavy smoke and ash created black layers on the furniture, computers and documents of the 10th and several other uppers floors, which remained outside the reach of flames, said firemen.