Woman dies hours after Mirpur fire kills her 7-month-old son

A woman has died from burns hours after losing her seven-month-old son to a fire caused by technical glitches in a gas pipeline.

Mina Akter, 22, passed away during treatment in the burns unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 2pm on Wednesday.

“Mina had 80 percent of her body burnt,” said resident doctor Partha Shankar Pal.

“Mina’s husband Manik Miah is fighting for life with 96 percent of his body burnt,” he added.

Their 7-month-old son 'Tamim' died on Tuesday night following the fire.

A room on the ground floor of a five-storey-building at Section 11, Mirpur caught fire around 11.45 pm on Tuesday, said Fire Service Control Room Officer Mizanur Rahman.

Manik, who used to be the caretaker of the building, lived in that room with his family.

Mizanur said two units of fire service rescued and hospitalised the three.

But, the doctor on duty declared the child brought dead, said Sub-Inspector of Dhaka Medical College Hospital Police Camp Bacchu Miah.

Abdullah Al Arefin, a senior officer at Mirpur Fire Service Station, said the fire originated from a leak in the gas pipeline that went along the building.

“The fire started on the ground floor of the five-storey building after someone lit a cigarette.”