ZCZC
BSS-27
BANANI-FIRE-LEAD-TWO
Two killed, 34 injured in Banani fire
DHAKA, March 28, 2019 (BSS) – At least two people were killed and 34
others injured in a fire that broke out at FR Tower on Kamal Ataturk Avenue
in city’s Banani area today.
The deceased was identified as Abdullah Al Faruq, a student of Dhaka
University’s management department.
Earlier, five injured people were sent to Dhaka Medical College and
Hospital (DMCH) with burn injuries, while two of them were in critical
condition. Faruq was sent to DMCH with 90 percent burn injuries. He was
declared dead by the on-duty doctors around 4:20pm.
Niras Chandra, a Sri Lankan national, was also killed in the fire,
officer-in-change of Cantonment Police Station Shahan Haque confirmed BSS.
Chandra died on way to Kurmitola General Hospital, he said, adding that
the injured people were admitted to different city hospitals, including DMCH
and Kurmitola General Hospital.
“Some six people jumped off the building. The condition of four of them
was stated to be critical,” said Ahad, additional deputy commissioner of
police (Gulshan zone).
A total of 21 units of the fire service rushed to the spot and have been
trying to douse the inferno. Besides, separate teams of Bangladesh Army,
Bangladesh Air Force, Navy and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) are working to
control the fire that broke out at the 22-storey building on Banani road No-
17. Intensified rescue operation was undertaken to recover the victims from
the spot.
Besides fire fighters, three helicopters of Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) are
conducting the rescue drive to recover the people trapped inside the
building. Helicopters were seen rescuing people from the fire spot.
Many victims who were trapped inside the building fell sick after inhaling
smoke caused by the deadly fire, fire fighters said.
About 22 ambulances were rushed to the spot and those are being used to
send the injured people to the hospitals for treatment.
Vehicular movement was suspended in adjacent roads of the fire spot aiming
to carry out the rescue operation smoothly.
The fire broke out around 12:55 pm at the eighth floor of the FR Tower but
reason behind the fire is yet to be known, Fire Service Control Room Duty
Officer (acting) Enayet Hossain told BSS.
Many people are still trapped inside the building, while many of the
victims were injured when they tried to jump from the building to escape the
fire.
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