Bailey Road inferno: 20 bodies handed over to family members

The authorities concerned have handed over 20 bodies of Bailey Road inferno victims to their family members till 7am on Friday.

Of the deceased, 11 were identified as Nazia, 35, Arhan Mostofa, 8, Songkolpo Poddar, 12, Mimu, 20, Zannati, 23, Fatema tuz Johora, 17, Ria, 23, Sopna, 37, Pompi Saha, 46, Dola, 25 and Mahi, 20.

New Market Zone Assistant Commissioner of police Refatul Islam said upon the request of the family members, those bodies were handed over to them without any autopsy.

At least 44 people, including 26 women and three children, were killed and 22 others were critically injured in the fire that broke out at the seven-storey Green Cozy Cottage Shopping Mall on Bailey Road in Dhaka.

Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen confirmed the deaths.

Of the deceased, 33 died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and 10 in Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

Meanwhile, another man was brought dead to Central Police Hospital in Rajarbagh, said Inspector General Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.

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 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.

According to media reports, several people were trapped on the rooftop of the building till filing the news at 2am on Friday.

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.

The road has been blocked from Officer's Club to Shantinagar intersection.

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.