Part of Bashundhara City goes up in flames
Saturday, 14 March 2009
Top floors of the imposing Bashundhara City, country's largest shopping mall, went up in flames in a devastating fire that left one person dead and 14 others injured Friday, reports UNB.
Fire Brigade sources said the fire broke out at about 1:45pm on the 17th floor of the high-rise building where several corporate offices are housed and spread down to the 16th, 15th, 14th, 13th and 12th floors before firefighters aided by military troops could contain the flames.
Baki Billah, 35, fireman of the posh shopping mall, died at Shamarita Hospital at about 4:5pm.
Hospital sources said Billah suffered fatal wounds falling down while trying to get down from the top with a rope.
"He was rushed to the hospital at about 3:30pm in critical condition with massive fracture and bruises," said one source.
Twelve other injured were admitted to the same hospital where condition of six more was stated critical. Most of the injured suffered from smoke inhalation, the sources added.
UNB correspondent at Dhaka Medical College Hospital said Fire Brigade assistant director Monir Hossain and a nearby furniture shop employee, Iqbal Hossain, were taken to the DMCH as they fell ill from smoke inhalation.
More than ten units of the firefighters rushed to the scene, but they could not begin work to extinguish the fire as their ladders didn't reach the top floors of the high-rise.
Troops of RAB, police, army, navy and air force also rushed in and joined the firefighting and rescue operation.
A helicopter began hovering over the shopping mall to help in the rescue, in case anyone got trapped inside the building on fire.
The cause of the fire could not be known immediately.
Hundreds of onlookers gathered on the nearby roads to witnesses the edifice burning down, causing huge traffic jams in the area.
Bashundhara City shopping complex, considered one of the largest shopping malls in South Asia, was opened to public in 2004. Housed in the modern and beautiful mall are more than 2,000 stores and cafes, corporate offices, a multiplex cinema and a gymnasium.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told the news agency that PM Sheikh Hasina, shortly after receiving the news of the fire, assigned her Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Tareq Ahmed Siddiqui to the emergency task of taking necessary steps in tackling the fire in cooperation with Army, Navy, Air Force and Police.
He said the Prime Minister also requested Home Minister Sahara Khatun and State Minister for Home Affairs Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj to visit the spot.
"The Prime Minister is monitoring the fire situation," Azad said.
A three-member inquiry committee, led by Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan, was formed to probe the inferno at the Bashundhara Shopping Complex in Panthapath area of the capital.
The other members of the committee are IGP Noor Muhammad and Director General of the Fire Brigade Brig Gen Abu Nayeem Md Shahidullah, according to officials.
bdnews24.com adds: 17 of the injured were taken to the Combined Military Hospital.
The blaze that started at around 1.30pm had died down after firemen spent over 5 hours fighting the raging flames that spread through the seven top floors of the 21-storied building, trapping many inside.
There was no report of damage to shops in the complex, as the fire did not reach the lower floors, he added.
The army along with navy fire experts joined in rescue operations. Brig Gen Anwar said they had come in aid of the fire service men and to secure the area.
The fire that began at around 1.30pm appeared under control at one point, but began raging again from 2:30pm as the flames were fanned by the wind, said firemen.
Fire brigade director Major Motiur said the fire originated from the 17th floor and shot upwards.
Another correspondent, Humayun Hashim, said he saw many people looking out of windows to get out of the building.
Rescuers were forced to climb to the top floors. A fire safety officer of the Bashundhara Group, Kazi Golam Mostafa, had to be rescued by a helicopter.
Firefighters had to climb up to the 17th floor as water hoses could not reach there, said Motiur.
He said five fire units had initially been deployed and reinforcements later called in.
Hundreds of shoppers poured out of the main entrance of the building as the flames first billow from the top of the building.
The shoppers joined crowds of bystanders that had gathered on the street below, which had been quickly closed to traffic causing long tailbacks on adjoining roads.
Thousands gathered around Basundhara City turning the area into a sea of spectators from Panthapath to Hatirpul.
Deputy Managing Director of Bashundhrara Group Touhidul Alam said the corporate office caught fire and he sent men to salvage papers, but they could not.
The fire jumped upwards and flames ripped through the top storeys, burning everything in its wake, he said.
Alam said he had no idea how the building caught fire.
Owner of Bismallah Store, Tofael Ahmed, said they were not allowed to bring out their merchandise.
He said he thought the fire started from the group chairman's office on the 19th floor.
A security worker of the complex, Rafiq, who gave only one name, had earlier said the 17th and 18th floors of the building caught fire first.
The building is 21 storeys high, with the first 8 floors holding over 2,000 retail stores and cafeterias. The other floors house a multiplex cinema and men's and women's gymnasiums.
The upper floors are used as the corporate headquarters of the Bashundhara Group.
Fire Brigade sources said the fire broke out at about 1:45pm on the 17th floor of the high-rise building where several corporate offices are housed and spread down to the 16th, 15th, 14th, 13th and 12th floors before firefighters aided by military troops could contain the flames.
Baki Billah, 35, fireman of the posh shopping mall, died at Shamarita Hospital at about 4:5pm.
Hospital sources said Billah suffered fatal wounds falling down while trying to get down from the top with a rope.
"He was rushed to the hospital at about 3:30pm in critical condition with massive fracture and bruises," said one source.
Twelve other injured were admitted to the same hospital where condition of six more was stated critical. Most of the injured suffered from smoke inhalation, the sources added.
UNB correspondent at Dhaka Medical College Hospital said Fire Brigade assistant director Monir Hossain and a nearby furniture shop employee, Iqbal Hossain, were taken to the DMCH as they fell ill from smoke inhalation.
More than ten units of the firefighters rushed to the scene, but they could not begin work to extinguish the fire as their ladders didn't reach the top floors of the high-rise.
Troops of RAB, police, army, navy and air force also rushed in and joined the firefighting and rescue operation.
A helicopter began hovering over the shopping mall to help in the rescue, in case anyone got trapped inside the building on fire.
The cause of the fire could not be known immediately.
Hundreds of onlookers gathered on the nearby roads to witnesses the edifice burning down, causing huge traffic jams in the area.
Bashundhara City shopping complex, considered one of the largest shopping malls in South Asia, was opened to public in 2004. Housed in the modern and beautiful mall are more than 2,000 stores and cafes, corporate offices, a multiplex cinema and a gymnasium.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told the news agency that PM Sheikh Hasina, shortly after receiving the news of the fire, assigned her Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Tareq Ahmed Siddiqui to the emergency task of taking necessary steps in tackling the fire in cooperation with Army, Navy, Air Force and Police.
He said the Prime Minister also requested Home Minister Sahara Khatun and State Minister for Home Affairs Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj to visit the spot.
"The Prime Minister is monitoring the fire situation," Azad said.
A three-member inquiry committee, led by Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan, was formed to probe the inferno at the Bashundhara Shopping Complex in Panthapath area of the capital.
The other members of the committee are IGP Noor Muhammad and Director General of the Fire Brigade Brig Gen Abu Nayeem Md Shahidullah, according to officials.
bdnews24.com adds: 17 of the injured were taken to the Combined Military Hospital.
The blaze that started at around 1.30pm had died down after firemen spent over 5 hours fighting the raging flames that spread through the seven top floors of the 21-storied building, trapping many inside.
There was no report of damage to shops in the complex, as the fire did not reach the lower floors, he added.
The army along with navy fire experts joined in rescue operations. Brig Gen Anwar said they had come in aid of the fire service men and to secure the area.
The fire that began at around 1.30pm appeared under control at one point, but began raging again from 2:30pm as the flames were fanned by the wind, said firemen.
Fire brigade director Major Motiur said the fire originated from the 17th floor and shot upwards.
Another correspondent, Humayun Hashim, said he saw many people looking out of windows to get out of the building.
Rescuers were forced to climb to the top floors. A fire safety officer of the Bashundhara Group, Kazi Golam Mostafa, had to be rescued by a helicopter.
Firefighters had to climb up to the 17th floor as water hoses could not reach there, said Motiur.
He said five fire units had initially been deployed and reinforcements later called in.
Hundreds of shoppers poured out of the main entrance of the building as the flames first billow from the top of the building.
The shoppers joined crowds of bystanders that had gathered on the street below, which had been quickly closed to traffic causing long tailbacks on adjoining roads.
Thousands gathered around Basundhara City turning the area into a sea of spectators from Panthapath to Hatirpul.
Deputy Managing Director of Bashundhrara Group Touhidul Alam said the corporate office caught fire and he sent men to salvage papers, but they could not.
The fire jumped upwards and flames ripped through the top storeys, burning everything in its wake, he said.
Alam said he had no idea how the building caught fire.
Owner of Bismallah Store, Tofael Ahmed, said they were not allowed to bring out their merchandise.
He said he thought the fire started from the group chairman's office on the 19th floor.
A security worker of the complex, Rafiq, who gave only one name, had earlier said the 17th and 18th floors of the building caught fire first.
The building is 21 storeys high, with the first 8 floors holding over 2,000 retail stores and cafeterias. The other floors house a multiplex cinema and men's and women's gymnasiums.
The upper floors are used as the corporate headquarters of the Bashundhara Group.