Two-storey tin hut collapses into lake at Dhaka’s Rampura, death toll 12

At least twelve people have died so far after a two-storey tin hut collapsed into a lake at Dhaka’s Rampura on Wednesday.

Fire Service divers were continuing search at the spot on Thursday, said its Control Room Officer-in-Charge Md Enayet Hossain.

Rescue operations started immediately after the collapse around 3.30pm on Wednesday.

After a nightlong effort, the  collapsed hut was removed from the lake, according to the fire service official.

Police said there were 22 rooms in the two-storey tin-hut that stood on bamboo poles at the side of a hyancith-filled lake at Hajiparha’s Jheelpar.

“The lower storey had been sucked in by the mud at the bottom of the lake,” said Rampura Police Inspector Md Alamgir Hossain.

Four Fire Service units rushed to the scene for rescue operations and were later joined by divers.

Rescue teams tried to remove the tin ceilings from the mud by cutting off the bamboo poles but failed.

They later used cranes to remove the frame of the hut, which was floating.

Rescuers recovered twelve bodies, according to Inspector Hossain.  

Three bodies were found at the scene on Wednesday afternoon. They were identified as ‘Saiful’, 14, Harun Or Rashid, 45 and Sajeda Akter.

Around 4:45pm, Nizam Khan, 45, and ‘Mizan’, 35, were rescued and rushed to the hospital where doctors pronounced them dead.

Khan’s wife Kalpana Begum and daughter-in-law ‘Roksana’ were declared dead after being taken to the Kidhmah Hospital at Khilgaon area.

Their bodies were later brought to the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

Four bodies—three females and one male—were found at the spot around 8pm.

Three of them were identified as ‘Runa’, ‘Farzana’ and ‘Zakir’, said Inspector Hossain.

Another unidentified body was recovered around 1:30am, he added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina offered condolence for those killed, her press wing said.

Dhaka’s Deputy Commissioner Tofajjal Hossain Mia said the family of the deceased will get Tk 20,000 financial assistance each while the injured will receive Tk 5,000.

Deceased Nizam Khan’s son ‘Sabuj’ said they lived on the ground floor of the shack.

A neighbour took his father to the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, he said. His mother and wife were taken to a hospital at Khilgaon area.

Nasrin Akter, sister of deceased ‘Runa’ and ‘Jakir’, said they had moved to a room on the lower storey last month and they were about to shift next month.

“The hut was so vulnerable that it would shake when someone walked. We were very scared during the storm a few days ago.

“I was on the first floor when the incident happened. My husband Khokon, Runa and Jakir were on the lower storey,” she said.

Khokon was rescued alive, but her siblings were found dead.

Akter told bdnews24.com that at least 40 people were in the hut when it collapsed and half of them are still missing.

Readymade cloth worker Syed Ibrahim Ali lived in that hut with his wife, in-laws and three-brothers-in-law. He said that most of the inhabitants of the hut were garment workers.

“The incident happened in the afternoon, when a lot of the inmates left for work after lunch. Otherwise, a lot more would have died today,” he told bdnews24.com.

A local, Jahangir Alam, said one Monir Mia had built the hut two years ago and rented it.

He used to collect Tk 4,000 to 5,000 for each room. Mia is involved with the local Awami League and one of his brothers Tunu Mia was affiliated with the local BNP, according to locals.

None of the brothers could be contacted after the hut collapsed.