Dhaka apartment fire victim dies

A victim burnt during a fire in a Dhaka apartment has died.

Police said 18-year-old Sharifa Akter, who had suffered 90 percent burns, succumbed to her injuries late on Monday.

The fire broke out early on Monday in a room at an apartment in the upscale neighbourhood of Gulshan.

Three house helps, who were in the room, were rushed to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital's (DMCH) burns unit.

DMCH police outpost's Sub Inspector Bachchu Mia said that Sharifa was pronounced dead around 11pm.

The two others burnt in the fire -- 38-year-old Parvin Begum and 20-year-old Bedana Akter -- are being treated at the burns unit.

Doctors had said that Parvin suffered 20 percent burns while Bedana 90 percent.

The cause of the fire is yet to be known.

Police said there were no gas cylinders in the apartment. "We suspect a glitch on the pipe for supplying gas may have caused it," Inspector Salauddin of Gulshan police said on Monday.

Three house helps severely burnt in fire at Gulshan apartment