19 trapped in Bashundhara City shopping mall fire rescued safely: Officials

Everyone who had been trapped on the roof of Bashundhara City after a fire broke out in the mall has been rescued, say the Fire Service and Bashundhara shopping complex authority.

Fire-fighters on Sunday noon said eight people were rescued from the roof in the first attempt.

Later around 4:30pm, Fire Service Deputy Director Mizanur Rahman said 11 others, including a woman, were also safely brought down from the roof of the eight-storey popular shopping mall.

They took an elevator to come down after the fire was brought under control, he said.

“The number of people trapped could not be determined at first as the roof is quite big. But they were safe,” said Rahman, who coordinated the rescue efforts.

Before Rahman, Bashundhara Group’s Head of Marketing Jasim Uddin told reporters around 5pm, “Eleven people, all of them Bashundhara employees, were trapped. They have been rescued without any injury.”

Fire-fighters have also reported no casualties from the fire, which broke out on the fifth floor of the mall around 11am on Sunday.

The shopping complex’s in-charge TIM Latiful Hossain told reporters in the evening, “We think at least 100 shops in level six’s Block-C have been damaged in the fire. At least seven of them suffered severe damage.”

Fire Service officials said several of their units had gone there after getting news in the morning. Panic-stricken shoppers and staff were seen rushing out of the mall.

The flames were ‘almost under control’ around 1pm, but were not completely doused even until the evening.

Around 6:30pm, Fire Service Director Major Shakil Newaz said, “We are yet to bring the fire fully under control. But we are not letting it to spread further.

“However, we can’t say for sure when we will be able to douse the fire completely.”

He said they were having a hard time opening the doors and shutters of the damaged shops as the rubbers and plastics on them had melted. “This is hindering our progress.”