Neemtoli blaze kills 114
Saturday, 5 June 2010
FE Report
Death toll from Thursday night's devastating fire in the capital rose to 114 while 50 others were fighting for life at different hospitals on Friday as rescuers were still searching for more bodies.
The air has become thick with wailing of mourners at Neemtoli, where the people helplessly watched residents falling to their deaths in the inferno, which the nation has never seen in the past.
The charred bodies, many of them beyond recognition, were seen lying everywhere--in alleyways, in front of shops, in staircases and in rooms.
DMCH sources said five people, including three women and a child, succumbed to their burn injuries in the afternoon. The rescuers also recovered six more charred bodies from a sewerage tunnel in the morning.
"With the latest recovery, the death toll rose to 114," Dhaka deputy commissioner Mohibul Haque said. Of the deceased, the district administration handed over 90 bodies to their family members after identification, he added.
"We're conducting the search inside the fire damaged buildings," fire brigade's deputy director Abdus Salam said.
Witnesses said the deadly blaze was originated at a five-storied building at Nawab Katra in Nimtoli at about 9:00pm on Thursday following an electric transformer burst and it spread to nearby seven apartment houses and several shops.
Director General of Fire Brigade and Civil Defense Brig Gen Abu Nayeem Mohammad Shahidullah told reporters that most of the people died due to suffocation and fast degree burn as the fire was fuelled by chemical shops.
He said they struggled to get inside for dousing the flame due to narrowness of the approach roads, which made access for firemen difficult. "We did not delay in reaching here," he said.
"There were shops of chemicals on the ground floor, which helped the fire spread very quickly," he said, adding the temperature and fumes became unbearable because of the chemicals.
The area has been devastated by the blaze. Neemtoli is one of the most densely populated areas.
An army team also joined the rescue operation with fire brigade, police and locals.
The government had formed a three-member probe body, led by an additional secretary of home ministry, to investigate the incident and asked it to submit its findings within seven days.
"I have never had such a harrowing experience in all my 40 years here," said Shamanta Lal Sen, head of the burns unit of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, amid chaotic scene as relatives of the missing searched for loved ones.
He also apprehended the death toll might rise further as a number of people admitted to the hospital with serious burn injujries.
The hospital authorities also called all the doctors, nurses and medical students to join the job by cancelling their leave to ensure smooth medicare services. Seeing the massive causualities, the phycisians could not control tears.
Meanwhile, the government declared Saturday as National Day of Mourning for the victims of Neemtoli and Begunbari. As per the announcement, flags will be flown at half-mast and special prayers will be said at places of worships across the nation.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited the injured at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in the morning and inquired about their treatment.
Health Minister AFM Ruhal Huq, Dhaka mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka, Home Minister Sahara Khatun and Food and Disaster Minister Abdur Razzaque were also visited the hospital to see the injured people.
The government has extended financial and other logistics support for the burial of the victims and proper treatment of the injured. It also decided to grant Tk 20,000 for each victim family for now to meet immediate needs, including burial of bodies.
Death toll from Thursday night's devastating fire in the capital rose to 114 while 50 others were fighting for life at different hospitals on Friday as rescuers were still searching for more bodies.
The air has become thick with wailing of mourners at Neemtoli, where the people helplessly watched residents falling to their deaths in the inferno, which the nation has never seen in the past.
The charred bodies, many of them beyond recognition, were seen lying everywhere--in alleyways, in front of shops, in staircases and in rooms.
DMCH sources said five people, including three women and a child, succumbed to their burn injuries in the afternoon. The rescuers also recovered six more charred bodies from a sewerage tunnel in the morning.
"With the latest recovery, the death toll rose to 114," Dhaka deputy commissioner Mohibul Haque said. Of the deceased, the district administration handed over 90 bodies to their family members after identification, he added.
"We're conducting the search inside the fire damaged buildings," fire brigade's deputy director Abdus Salam said.
Witnesses said the deadly blaze was originated at a five-storied building at Nawab Katra in Nimtoli at about 9:00pm on Thursday following an electric transformer burst and it spread to nearby seven apartment houses and several shops.
Director General of Fire Brigade and Civil Defense Brig Gen Abu Nayeem Mohammad Shahidullah told reporters that most of the people died due to suffocation and fast degree burn as the fire was fuelled by chemical shops.
He said they struggled to get inside for dousing the flame due to narrowness of the approach roads, which made access for firemen difficult. "We did not delay in reaching here," he said.
"There were shops of chemicals on the ground floor, which helped the fire spread very quickly," he said, adding the temperature and fumes became unbearable because of the chemicals.
The area has been devastated by the blaze. Neemtoli is one of the most densely populated areas.
An army team also joined the rescue operation with fire brigade, police and locals.
The government had formed a three-member probe body, led by an additional secretary of home ministry, to investigate the incident and asked it to submit its findings within seven days.
"I have never had such a harrowing experience in all my 40 years here," said Shamanta Lal Sen, head of the burns unit of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, amid chaotic scene as relatives of the missing searched for loved ones.
He also apprehended the death toll might rise further as a number of people admitted to the hospital with serious burn injujries.
The hospital authorities also called all the doctors, nurses and medical students to join the job by cancelling their leave to ensure smooth medicare services. Seeing the massive causualities, the phycisians could not control tears.
Meanwhile, the government declared Saturday as National Day of Mourning for the victims of Neemtoli and Begunbari. As per the announcement, flags will be flown at half-mast and special prayers will be said at places of worships across the nation.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited the injured at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in the morning and inquired about their treatment.
Health Minister AFM Ruhal Huq, Dhaka mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka, Home Minister Sahara Khatun and Food and Disaster Minister Abdur Razzaque were also visited the hospital to see the injured people.
The government has extended financial and other logistics support for the burial of the victims and proper treatment of the injured. It also decided to grant Tk 20,000 for each victim family for now to meet immediate needs, including burial of bodies.