44 lives lost to Bailey Road blaze
26 women and three children among deceased
At least 44 people, including 26 women and three children, were killed and 22 critically injured in a fire that broke out at the seven-storey Green Cozy Cottage Shopping Mall on Bailey Road in Dhaka last night.
Of the deceased, 33 died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and 10 in Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen while talking to reporters today.
Meanwhile, another man was brought dead to Central Police Hospital in Rajarbagh, said Inspector General Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.
Around 75 people, including 42 in an unconscious state, were rescued from the building.
Firefighters brought the flames under control after two hours of frantic efforts, said Brig Gen Main Uddin, director general of Fire Service and Civil Defence.
There were cooking gas cylinders on almost every floor of the building, he said, adding that a stove or a gas tank could have caused the fire.
He said many of the victims died of suffocation because of the smoke.
There were only two lifts and a staircase in the building with no emergency exit and other safety issues, said a top fire service official.
As the fire spread, people jumped out of even third-floor windows while many were seen crying for help on the sixth floor and the rooftop.
Fire service formed a probe committee to find the cause of the fire.
Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun told reporters at the DMCH that police would try to hand over the bodies to the families as early as possible.
Around 2:19am, the CID put crime scene tape around the building.
Earlier, Main Uddin told reporters that three bodies were recovered from the spot.
The fire broke out around 9:50pm.
Thirteen fire engines brought the blaze under control at 11:50pm, said Talha Bin Zasim, an official of the Fire Service and Civil Defence media cell.
At least ten people were hurt after jumping out of the building and were brought to the DMCH, said Inspector Bachchu Miah, in-charge of DMCH police outpost.
The injured are Imran, 13, Shakil, 24, Ujjal, 23, Jobayer, 21, Omar Faruk, 43, Shakil, 22, Jewel, 30, Shezan, 22, Deen Islam, 30, and Iqbal Hossain, 24.
The fire engulfed several floors of the seven-storey shopping complex, reported our correspondents from the spot at 11:10pm.
The Border Guard Bangladesh also joined the rescue operation.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner went to the spot to monitor the situation.
The Green Cozy Cottage Shopping Mall houses shops and diners such as a Kachchi Bhai, a Samsung showroom, Gadget & Gear, Illiyeen, Khana's, and Pizza's Inn.