At least 44 people have died in a fire at a multi-storey shopping center in Bangladesh. The victims were mostly restaurant guests, said a fire department spokesman on Friday night. Most of them succumbed to their serious injuries in hospitals. At least 22 other people rescued from the sea of flames are in critical condition, said Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen.
As flames and smoke spread quickly, according to fire officials, the building called Green Cozy Cottage in the capital Dhaka became a death trap for many shoppers and restaurant guests. Some were able to climb down a water pipe on the outside of the building and just escape.
According to information, the fire was extinguished after three hours. The cause of the fire, which broke out on Thursday evening, was initially unclear. Police Chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun announced an investigation.
Given the lack of fire safety precautions, major fires with many injuries and deaths in multi-story buildings are not uncommon in Bangladesh.
