A fire tore through a shopping mall in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, late Thursday, resulting in the deaths of at least 46 individuals and leaving many others injured, according to officials.
Health minister Dr. Samanta Lal Sen stated that the fatalities were due to carbon monoxide poisoning as people were trapped in a sealed room and suffocated from the smoke.
Fire officials reported that at least 75 others were injured in the incident.
Earlier, police inspector Bachchu Mia mentioned that 27 bodies had been identified and returned to their families.
Witnesses described the mall as having only one staircase and elevator without an emergency exit, making it challenging for people to escape. Some individuals trapped inside resorted to jumping from higher floors, they noted.
Bangladesh has faced deadly fires and industrial disasters, particularly in garment factories. Despite the country’s economic growth, concerns have been raised by human rights and labor organizations regarding poor working conditions and workplace safety measures.
The worst of these disasters occurred in 2013 when an eight-story garment factory collapse claimed over 1,100 lives. In 2021, a factory fire in Narayanganj resulted in the deaths of more than 50 individuals.
The fire at the shopping mall started around 9:51 p.m. on the second floor, where a popular biryani restaurant is located. It quickly spread throughout the seven-story building, causing significant damage to a clothing store on the third floor.
The restaurant, Kacchi Bhai, indicated on its website that the fire originated on the ground floor. A video posted on its Facebook account showed a section of the ground floor engulfed in flames at an early stage of the fire.
Officials mentioned that it took at least two hours for crews to extinguish the fire. Videos depicted most floors being charred by the flames, with firefighters working to put out remaining fires on upper floors. Survivors were seen being lowered onto a ladder as emergency workers and onlookers awaited them below.
The shopping mall on Bailey Road houses various eateries and stores. A fire official revealed that almost every floor has a restaurant with gas cylinders, which could have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. The cause of the fire remains unknown.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police officers were investigating the scene using a drone on Friday morning, attempting to manage a crowd of onlookers.
Witness Ismail Hossain Sohel recounted witnessing a man jumping from the third floor, sustaining head injuries, while Salman Alim from Pizza Inn mentioned that none of their employees were harmed as they were rescued by fire personnel.
John Yoon contributed to the reporting.
