A massive fire engulfed a 22-storey building in Dhaka’s posh Banani area on Thursday, killing at least 19 people, including a Sri Lankan national, and injuring 70 others, in the second major blaze to hit the Bangladeshi capital since last month.
The incident, which happened on Thursday afternoon in a building that houses several garment shops and internet service providers, left several people trapped inside as the blaze spread to two adjacent buildings.
“Until now we can tell you that the inferno killed 19 people, one of them being a Sri Lankan national. Seventy others are wounded,” a senior fire official told PTI.
At least six of the killed, including the Sri Lankan national, died after they jumped off from various floors of the high-rise building for safety.
“A Sri Lankan citizen identified as Niras Chandra, was declared dead at Kurmitola General Hospital. He fell off the building while trying to escape the fire,” Kazi Shahan Haque, officer-in-charge (OC) of Cantonment police station, was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune.
Another person, who was yet to be identified by the authorities, was declared dead at Kurmitola General Hospital after he fell off the building while trying to escape the fire.