Death toll from Siddique Bazar building blast rises to 22 as another victim dies in hospital

The latest victim to die from the incident, Yasin, had 55 percent of his body burnt

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 9 March 2023, 06:55 AM
Updated : 9 March 2023, 06:55 AM

One more victim of the devastating blast in a building in Old Dhaka’s Siddique Bazar has died in hospital, taking the toll to 22.

The latest victim to die from the incident, 26-year old Yasin, had 55 percent of his body burnt, said SM Ayub Hossain, the resident surgeon at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

His full name and other details were not available.

After the death of Yasin around 8:30pm on Thursday, the number of people who were admitted to the burns institute after the explosion stood at eight, while 15 others were taking treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Emergency workers recovered another body from the rubble of the blast-torn Café Queen building earlier on Thursday, the third day of rescue efforts. It was then sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, according to Anwarul Haque, vice principal of the Fire Service Training Complex.

The family identified the victim as 38-year-old Mehedi Hasan Swapan, the manager of Bangladesh Sanitary situated in the building's basement.

An explosion ripped through the building on North South Road on Tuesday afternoon. Smoke filled the air and the loud noise caused a panic nearby.

Power connections to the area were cut off afterwards. On Wednesday night, workers were preparing to restore power lines.

Firefighters retrieved 20 bodies in the first two days of the rescue mission in the building, which was declared risky in the wake of the explosion. The operation continued into a third day as at least one more victim, Swapan, remained missing.

Swapan hailed from Enayetpur village in Noakhali.

He lived with his family near the Rampura TV Station in Dhaka. He leaves behind a son and a daughter.

Swapan’s older brother Tanvir Hassan Shohag said he had gone missing immediately after the blast.