Authorities have returned the bodies of 35 victims to their families so far
Published : 01 Mar 2024, 12:01 PM
The death toll from the devastating blaze at Bailey Road's Green Cozy Cottage building has increased to 46 after another victim passed away under hospital care.
Authorities have returned the bodies of 35 victims to their families so far.
The deadly blaze engulfed the seven-storey building, which mostly houses restaurants, on Thursday evening.
Afterwards, 10 bodies were taken to the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery and 35 to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, according to Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen.
"One more person died during treatment in the intensive care unit of Dhaka Medical ICU this morning. A total of 46 people have died so far," the minister said on Friday.
Most of the fatalities were caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, resulting from excessive smoke inhalation in closed spaces, according to the minister
Currently, 10 people are undergoing treatment at the Sheikh Hasina burn unit and two at DMCH, he said.
However, he expressed concern for the hospitalised victims, noting that all of them suffered from burns and respiratory damage, putting them in critical condition.
Dhaka Additional District Magistrate AKM Hedaitul Islam confirmed that the families of 35 victims had received the bodies of their loved ones on Friday morning.
Authorities have been able to identify 39 victims, while six were burnt beyond recognition.
The blaze broke out around 10:30pm on Thursday. The building houses a branch of the popular biryani chain 'Kacchi Bhai', an outlet of the clothing retailer Illiyeen, along with several other shops, including a Samsung showroom.
The Fire Service battled the blaze for nearly two hours before subduing it around 11:50pm. Reports of mounting casualties soon began to surface.
FAMILIES TO RECEIVE FUNERAL AID
The government is providing Tk 25,000 to the families of each victim to cover their funeral expenses, according to State Minister for Relief and Disaster Management Md Mohibbur Rahman.
He emphasised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's directive to ensure the injured receive the best possible medical care during a media briefing at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
“We’ll oversee their [injured] rehabilitation and provide other necessities later,” he said.
"Right now, we’re focusing on the treatment of the injured and the rescue mission. We’ll look into the issue of compensation for the families of the dead later,” the state minister added.
He stressed the need for vigilance to prevent such tragedies in the future.