Cry everywhere at DMCH as relatives recounts horror

The relatives, law enforcers, firefighters or the onlookers had noting to do but keep observing the situation from outside when the seven-storey Green Cozy Cottage Shopping Mall on Bailey Road caught fire. 

After the terrible fire incident that occurred on Thursday night, relatives and family members of the victims rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital to identify the bodies. Some people have lost many of his or her family members in the fire incident, some lost parent, some lost kids and others came to the hospital in search of their near and dear ones with a heavy heart.

At least 44 people, including 26 women and three children, were killed and 22 others were critically injured in the fire. Of the deceased, 33 died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and 10 in Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

None left in Mubarak's family

Expatriate Syed Mubarak Hossain used to do business in Italy. He was staying in Bangladesh on vacation and fell prey to the fire when the family went to Kacchi Bhai outlet for dinner. Along with Mubarak, his wife Sapna, two daughters--Syeda Kashfia and Syeda Noor and only son Syed Abdullah were killed.

Mubarak's cousin Faisal said that Mubarak was preparing to go back to Italy with all his family members, but this terrible fire took away everything. After receiving the news, he came to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and identified the bodies.

Crave for burger takes lives of mother, 2 kids

Nazia along with her two minor sons went to Khanas as the kids had a craving for burgers. They did not return home after having the burger.

Nazia's relatives said that Nazia called her husband Ashiq over phone and informed him about the boys' demsnd. Ashiq asked them to visit a nearby restaurant.

When the fire originated, Ashiq was in touch with Nazia. At one stage of conversation, she said that she had lost their three-year-old son, Ayan. The family members immediately rushed to Bailey Road and repeatedly called Nazia's phone but got no response. Nazia's relative Rifat said that Nazia used to live with her husband and sons on Bailey Road.

Nothing stops Kurban Ali from lamenting

Kurban Ali is the proprietor of Riya Fashion, a clothing factory in Narayanganj. His only daughter Riya was sent to Malaysia for study. Riya came to Dhaka on a vacation. She was scheduled to fly back to Malaysia tomorrow, March 2. But the blaze took Riya's life.

Books and the Biriyani

Poppy Pdddar went to the Amar Ekhshey Book Fair with her two kids. On the way back, daughter Adrita and son Sangkolpo entered Kacchi Bhai. They also invited Poppy's brother Piyus.  But, he couldn’t manage it. Shortly after that, Poppy became unreachable. 

Piyush Poddar said: "I was also invited but I prefer watching television. After a while my sister called and shouted that there was a fire. I heard my niece shouting, Mama save us. We can't get out of the restaurant. I ran from my house in Shantinagar. I saw that the restaurant was on fire. There was nothing to do but watching from the outside."

Around 75 people, including 42 in an unconscious state, were rescued from the building. Earlier, 12 people were admitted with the DMCH and nine others at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, confirmed by DMCH’s police outpost in-Charge Md Bachhu Miah.

The fire broke out at a branch of Kachchi Bhai restaurant on the first floor of a six-storey commercial building around 9pm on Thursday and soon engulfed other floors.

Twelve fire engines were working at the spot at the Green Cozy Cottage Shopping Mall. The Green Cozy Cottage Shopping Mall also houses other shops and diners such as a Samsung showroom, Gadget & Gear, Illiyeen, Khana's, and Pizza's Inn.

The origin of the fire could not be known immediately and details on this matter will be shared later, said firefighters.

DMP Commissioner Habibur Rahman and IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun have reached the spot. IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun were overseeing the firefighting activities. 

Police also have joined firefighters. Firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control around 1am.

The Fire Service Director General Brigadier General Md Main Uddin laterr said the building had just one shop while the rest of the outlets were all restaurants. Gas cylinders were littered throughout the building. Any one of them could have exploded and caused the fire.