Old Dhaka fire: 9 burn victims not ‘out of danger’

Nine people admitted to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, who survived the Old Dhaka fire but with severe burn wounds, are not out of danger.

“We have nine patients here. None of them are out of danger. We already have five people in the ICU. We are considering moving the others as well,” Dr Samatalal Sen, coordinator of the burn unit told bdnews24.com on Friday.

The patients were not shifted yet because beds were unavailable in the ICU, he said.

“There are other severely ill patients in the ICU. We’ll be able to prioritise the Old Dhaka victims if we can shift the other patients,” he said.

The status of burnt victims remains unpredictable in the first 48 hours, the doctor said.

“Chemical burns aren’t superficial. These wounds are deep. All of these patients have burnt respiratory tracts.”

Among those receiving treatment in the ICU, Shohag, 25, has suffered 60 percent burn in his body. Rezaul, 21, has 51 percent burns. Zakir, 35, has 35 percent, Mozaffar, 32, has 30 percent wounds and Anwar, 55, has 28 percent wounds on his body.  

Other patients in the unit ward are: Helal, 18, who suffered 16 percent burn wounds. Selim, 44, has 14 percent, Mahmudul, 52, has 13 percent and Salahuddin 45, has 10 percent burns.

A massive fire broke to raze five buildings and several vehicles in Churihatta, Chawkbazar on Wednesday night. Chemical warehouses in the buildings intensified the severity of the fire. 

A number of 37 units tamed the fire after working for 14 hours but Churihatta had by then already turned into a death trap. A total 67 bodies were counted at the morgue.