Death toll from Uttar Khan fire rises to six

The death toll from Saturday’s fire at Dhaka’s Uttar Khan has risen to six.

Sagor, 12, died while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 1:30am on Sunday, said DMCH Outpost SI Md Bachchu Mia.

Sagor had burns on 63 percent of his body, according to doctors.

The fire was started by a gas pipe leak on the ground floor of the three-storey home in Uttar Khan’s Byaparipara. The blaze ignited when the kitchen stove was turned on around 4am on Saturday, Oct 13.

The fire service rescued eight victims and admitted them to the DMCH Burn Unit.

Md Azizul Islam, 27, passed away on the morning of Oct 13. His wife, Muslima Begum, 20, died that evening. Azizul’s aunt Sufia Begum died on the following day.

Later, Sufia’s daughter, Purnima, 30, and Dablu Molla, 33, died on the night of Oct 16 and the morning of Oct 17.

Sagor was the final victim to succumb to the burns, SI Md Bachchu Mia said.

Dablu Mollah’s wife Anju Ara, 25, and her five-year-old son Abdullah Sourav have left the hospital after receiving treatment, he said.

The family, who hail from Pabna, moved to the ground floor of the building last month and took up three rooms.

Muslima and Purnima worked at a garment factory in Uttar Khan. Azizul worked at a fish warehouse and Dablu was an autorickshaw driver. Dablu’s son Abdullah was a student in first grade at Moinartek Primary School.