Staff Reporter :Six persons, including one woman and two children, were killed in a devastating fire that broke out at high-rise Alauddin Tower near Rajlaksmi area in the city’s Uttara sector-4 on Friday. At least 25 persons, including three of a same family, were also injured in the incident. The members of Fire Service and Civil Defence [FSCD] rescued at least 10 people alive from the burning spot on the basement of the shopping mall. They were sent to Dhaka Medial College & Hospital [DMCH] for emergency treatment.Deputy Director of FSCD Mozammel Hoque admitted that four persons including a woman were killed. “We recovered burnt bodies of a woman and three men from the spot. It was not possible to identify them, as their faces were severely burnt.”On the other hand, Deputy Commissioner of Uttara Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Bidhan Tripura said that five persons were killed in the incident.Several locals have claimed that the fire was originated due to an explosion which resulted the lift collapsed on the basement. FSCD officials admitted that they heard about the explosion, but police did not confirm the blast immediately. Of the burn victims, three were identified as Mahmudul Hasan, 35, his daughter Maisha, 10, and son Mustakim. Another one was identified as Mamun, 28. They were admitted to Burn Unit of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital in a critical condition. Other injured were sent to different city hospitals, including Bangladesh Medical College and Hospital.According to doctors of DMCH, 80 per cent body of Mahmudul Hasan, 5 per cent of Maisa and 23 per cent of Mustakim were burnt. They were resident of Uttara Sector 13. Mahmudul Hasan is GM of a business farm Tropical Home Limited which situated at basement of the building. He along with his son and daughter came there to join an Iftar party. Director General of FSCD Brigadier General Ali Ahmed Khan told The New Nation that several people were injured at Alauddin Tower Shopping Complex when a lift loaded with shoppers collapsed with huge force on the basement as its cables torn. There was a place for Namaj [prayer] in the basement where several people were staying. One of the walls of the prayer house was broken being hit by the collapsed lift. At the same time, a fire was also originated from the lift. Later, the fire spread through the first floor also, he said.Several hundred people were in the market at that time to buy their Eid items from different shops. The panic stricken shoppers started running here and there as thick smoke covered the entire floor. Apart from damaging wooden and other materials, the metal infrastructure of the building was also severely heated due to constant flame of the fire. At one stage, the lift of the building collapsed along with the passengers. At least ten persons got trapped inside the lift at that time. On information, 13 firefighting units from different city stations rushed to the spot and started rescue operation. The fire fighters rescued around 10 male and female shoppers from the market. The FSCD members brought the fire under control around 7:15pm.The officials of FSCD could not ascertain the reason behind the fire instantly. At the same time, the extent of damage could not be determined by them without conducting a full-fledged inquiry.
