Uttara building fire: Death toll rises to five

The death toll from a fire at a residential building in Dhaka’s Uttara has risen to five.

The fire, which broke out on the second floor at a six-storey building in Uttara Sector No. 11, was reported around 7:50 am on Friday, according to Talha Bin Jashim, a spokesman for the Fire Service.

Two firefighting units reached the spot and took control of the fire at 8:25am.

The flames were completely extinguished around 10:00am, reports bdnews24.com.

Talha said that three people were killed on the scene. The Fire Service rescued 13 people and sent them to Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital.

Uttara West Police Station chief (OC) Rafiq Ahmed said that two more victims died in the hospital.

"The fire started on the second floor of the building. Three of the victims were from the same family.”

The three have been identified as Kazi Fazle Rabbi, 38, his wife Afroza Akter Suborna, 37, and their son Kazi Fayyaz Rishan, 2.

Suborna was taken to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, where doctors declared her dead. The bodies of Rabbi and Rishan are at Kuwait Bangladesh Friendship Government Hospital.

Family members, quoting the doctor, said that none of the three were burnt. It is believed they died of smoke inhalation.

Rabbi hails from Nanua Dighirpar in Cumilla Sadar Upazila. He worked at SKF Pharmaceuticals. His wife Suborna worked at Square Pharmaceuticals. Their other son was staying at his grandmother’s house in Uttara and escaped the disaster, the family said.

It is not immediately clear how the fire started.