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The multi-storey Green Cozy Cottage building on Bailey Road was bustling with life and light just a day ago. Now, the structure stands as a charred husk, compelling passers-by to pause and reflect on the nightmarish ordeal that unfolded the night before.
Pieces of shattered glass, embers of burnt furniture from various shops and restaurants, and even the scorched leaves of a nearby mango tree litter the scene.
On Friday morning, a crowd of onlookers, including many locals, gathered around the burnt edifice, recounting the previous night's horrors.
Investigation units of the Police Bureau of Investigation, the Criminal Investigation Department, and the Dhaka Metropolitan Police have been combing the site since the morning, joined by officials from RAJUK, the Disaster Management Department, and the city corporation.
Law enforcement has sealed off the entire building with crime scene tape to facilitate their investigation into the deadly blaze.
The fire erupted in the seven-storey building around 9:45pm on Thursday, claiming 46 lives and injuring dozens.
Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen has indicated that the condition of those receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical and the Sheikh Hasina Burn Institute is critical.
The second floor of the building housed a branch of the popular biryani shop 'Kachchi Bhai', the clothing brand Illiyeen, and several other establishments, including a Samsung showroom on the ground floor.
Next to the showroom was a coffee shop, with numerous fast-food outlets and restaurants peppered throughout the building.
Typically bustling on Thursday nights ahead of the weekend, the area was filled with small groups of friends and families gathered to enjoy meals and each other's company.
However, the atmosphere of joy turned into a nightmare.
Witness accounts and preliminary investigations indicated that the blaze began in the coffee house adjacent to the Samsung showroom, said RAB-3 ASP Kamrul Hasan.
The fire quickly spread upwards, engulfing the entire building and transforming it into a fiery spectacle that lit up the night sky.
Dressed in his morning attire, Sahabuddin Talukdar, a resident of Nawratan Colony on Bailey Road, stood outside the charred remains of the Green Cozy Cottage building on Friday, staring in disbelief at the devastation before him.
"You wouldn't believe the horror of last night unless you saw it yourself. The loud explosions and the inferno seemed like hellfire," Sahabuddin said.
"It's believed that the blaze started from gas cylinders. Such cylinders are common in shops within the building, yet there seems to be a blatant disregard for people's safety."
Shahida Khan, living in a nearby apartment, echoed the sentiment. "The fire reportedly began with a gas cylinder explosion. Bailey Road is a popular spot by afternoon, bustling with people coming to dine or hang out.
"The fire last night was so severe that I couldn't sleep. I heard many trapped on the upper floors suffocated due to the dense smoke. Even the leaves of a large mango tree near Kacchi Bhai have turned to ashes."
Liaquat Ali, who was also present at the scene, pointed out a critical safety oversight.
"Most buildings here lack proper exits or stairways, which is appalling. Despite having a government and its various departments, there's a lack of effective oversight."
He continued, "Bailey Road attracts youths from upscale areas like Baridhara, Gulshan, Banani, and Dhanmondi for its culinary and social scene, leading to significant commercial activity.
"However, neither the city corporation nor RAJUK seems to have taken any responsibility for ensuring safety standards. Who is to be held accountable?"
Sohail Ahmed barely escaped the ill-fated building as it caught fire on Thursday. "Kacchi Bhai was offering a 50 percent discount on all items, attracting a huge crowd that extended from the ground floor to the second floor. I was in line too.
"But around 9:50pm, panic set in when I noticed smoke billowing from a coffee shop below. I immediately ran for safety.”
Reflecting on the structural issues, Sohail added, “Most buildings along Bailey Road have narrow staircases, and the fast food outlets are quite cramped. Coupled with the usual crowds, these conditions pose significant safety risks.”
It took the Fire Service two hours to subdue the blaze. Reports of fatalities soon began to emanate.
Brig Gen Main Uddin, the director general of the Fire Service, suggested the fire may have originated from a stove or gas leak, noting the presence of gas cylinders on every floor of the building.
On Friday, he said that initial reports indicated a cylinder explosion in the building, prompting investigators to explore this lead in determining the fire's cause.