At least 7 dead, 28 injured in Banani fire

At least seven people were killed and 28 sustained injuries in the devastating fire that broke out at a multi-storey building at Kamal Ataturk Avenue in capital's Banani area on Thursday.

The police confirmed the death of seven people to Prothom Alo around 5:00 in the afternoon.

A Sri Lankan national named Nirash Chandra also died of serious wounds he sustained after jumping off the building, Kurmitola General Hospital's director Rashid Un Nabi said.

Quoting witnesses, a Prothom Alo correspondent on the spot said a number of people jumped off FR Tower in a desperate bid to save their lives from the blaze as the multi-storey building caught fire.

When they fell to the ground, waiting people rescued them immediately and the injured were taken by ambulance to different hospitals.

Fire broke out at the multi-story building FR Tower in the city's Banani area at 12:45pm on Thursday.

A total of 17 firefighting units were working to extinguish the fire. Navy fire team and Air Force also joined the rescue operation.