Three killed in fire at Science Lab
Three people were killed in a fire which broke out following an explosion at the Basundhara lane at a building in the capital’s Science Lab area on Sunday, said police.
Later, four units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence brought the fire under control. The fire broke out at around 10.52am and was brought under control at 11.13am, sources in the Fire Service and Civil Defence said.
Officer-in-charge (OC) of Dhanmondi police station, Ikram Ali Mia said three of the injured died after they were taken to a private hospital in the Dhanmondi area. The deceased were identified as Shafiquzzaman, Abdul Mannan and Tushar. The police could not provide their details immediately.
Muhituddin Khandker, additional commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said some 14 have sustained burn injuries in the fire. They are now undergoing treatment at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital at the moment.
The fire service is primarily assuming that the fire started from an explosion of an air-conditioner in the building. Traffic movement on one side of the road near the Science Lab intersection has been halted since the incident.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, duty officer of the fire service Khaleda Yeasmin said a fire broke out after an explosion in a building named Shirin Mansion in the capital’s Science Lab. Four units of fire service worked there. The fire was brought under control at 11.13am.
The third floor of the building was heavily damaged in the fire. Broken glasses and bricks from the building were blown off to nearby areas in the explosion.
The bomb disposal unit of the police is working at the spot. The three-storied building is mostly occupied by cloth shops with several residential buildings nearby. Residents came out of these buildings in fear.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, Jaharat Jahan, a resident of the Oriental Log Cabin near the Science Lab Area, said, “At first, I heard a loud blast. I thought it was an earthquake. Later, I went to my balcony and saw the smoke and got down from the building with my children.”
The entire building has been evacuated and the residents of the building have been transferred to an open space.