A huge fire ripped through a six-story building in Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka, on Thursday night (29), killing at least 43 people and injuring dozens, the country's health minister said.
The fire started in a restaurant and quickly spread to other floors, according to firefighters.
Another 22 victims are being treated in hospitals for burns, Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen added to reporters after visiting Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
All 22 people hospitalized with severe burns are in critical condition, Sen added.
It was not immediately clear what caused the fire, which was brought under control after two hours of frantic efforts by 13 firefighting units, according to fire officials.
Survivor Mohammad Altaf told reporters he narrowly escaped the fire through a broken window. Two of his co-workers died, he reported.
“When the fire started, our cashier and the military made everyone leave. But they both died later. I went to the kitchen, broke a window and jumped to save myself”, said Altaf.
Firefighters used a crane to rescue people from the building.
Bangladesh Fire and Civil Defense Director Brigadier General Main Uddin said the fire could have originated from a gas or stove leak.
“It was a dangerous building, with gas cylinders on every floor, even on the stairs,” he told reporters.
Intense scrutiny of Bangladesh and major international apparel retailers that manufacture in the country has helped prevent further catastrophes in the apparel sector since a fire in 2012 and a building collapse in 2013 killed more than 1,200 workers.
But in other industries, mostly aimed at Bangladesh's booming domestic economy and without equal emphasis on safety, hundreds of people have died in fires in recent years.
Fires are common in densely populated Dhaka, which has seen a growth in new buildings, often built without adequate safety measures.
Fires and explosions have occurred due to faulty gas cylinders, air conditioners and electrical wiring.
Source: CNN Brasil
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