'Gas cylinders were scattered along the staircase'
Fire official says building lacked safety measures
The Green Cozy Cottage Shopping Mall, where a devastating blaze killed at least 44 people last night, lacked multiple fire safety measures.
Firefighters said the seven-storey building on Bailey Road had only one staircase and no fire exit. The building also lacked proper ventilation facilities.
"Only one staircase in such a commercial building is unacceptable. This is a major flaw in fire safety protocol," Lt Col Razaul Karim, director (training, planning and development) at the Fire Service and Civil Defence told The Daily Star.
"The building housed several restaurants, and gas cylinders were scattered along the staircase, which helped spread the fire quickly," he said.
Speaking to reporters on the spot, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Habibur Rahman said a case would be filed over the incident.
It would be investigated whether the building authority followed the Rajuk plan and had all the required fire safety measures in place, he added.