2010 Dhaka fire

Dhaka Nimtoli Tragedy
Time 10.30 pm BST Time
Date 3 June 2010
Location Nimtoli, Dhaka Old City
Also known as Nimtoli Tragedy
Cause Electricity
Deaths 125
Injuries 200( Aprx.)
Crowd of curious people day after the fire. The burnt buildings can be seen at the centre.

The 2010 Dhaka fire was a fire in the city of Dhaka, Bangladesh, on 3 June 2010 that killed at least 124 people (117 on spot, others later in hospital).[1] The fire occurred in the Nimtali area of Old Dhaka.[2][3]

Cause

The fire was started when an electrical transformer exploded.[4] The head of the fire department speculated that the fire was fanned by chemicals and other flammable products stored in shops. The density of the residential area affected made it difficult for firefighters to quell the blaze.[5] Also, the narrow lanes of Old Dhaka and staircases of old buildings made it difficult for fire service equipment to enter the area.[2]

Casualties

The fire affected multiple residential buildings in the Nimtoli area,[6] and trapped residents inside apartments.[5] The fire started at 10.30 pm and lasted for over three hours.[7][8] At least 117 people were killed and over 100 injured by the fire.[1] The fire affected a wedding party, which exacerbated the casualties.[5] One of the buildings affected by the fire had no fire escapes and its windows were covered by metal grills.[9]

The injured were treated at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, which struggled to cope with the large number of patients suffering burns and smoke inhalation.[5][10] According to a doctor at the hospital, most of the deaths appeared to have been caused by smoke inhalation rather than burns.[6]

Rescue operations ceased on 4 June 2010.[11]

Reactions

Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, ordered an investigation into the fire. She also offered condolences to the victims and their families.[12] The government announced that 5 June 2010 would be a day of mourning.[13] The Bangladesh cricket team, who took the field the day after the fire during their tour of England, wore black armbands in remembrance.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Farid Hossain (4 June 2010). "Bangladesh fire races through buildings, kills 117". Associated Press. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Death counts swell to 117". BDNews24.com. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
  3. ↑ "2nd anniversary of Nimtoli tragedy being marked". BanglaNews24. 3 June 2012. Retrieved 25 Nov 2012.
  4. ↑ "At least 40 dead in Bangladesh fire". Reuters. 3 June 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "85 dead, 100 injured in Bangladesh blaze: police". AFP. 3 June 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Bangladeshi housing-block fire kills dozens". BBC News (British Broadcasting Corporation). 3 June 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  7. ↑ Jones, Alice (4 June 2010). "Dhaka fire kills at least 77, injures 100". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  8. ↑ "87 dead, 100 injured in Bangladesh blaze: police". Yahoo! News. 3 June 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  9. ↑ Dummett, Mark (4 June 2010). "Dhaka: City of construction death traps". BBC News (British Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 4 June 2010.
  10. ↑ "Midnight-fire kills at least 77 in Bangladesh capital". The Times of India. 4 June 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2010.
  11. ↑ Burke, Jason (4 June 2010). "Dhaka fire kills up to 150 in Bangladesh". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
  12. ↑ Watts, Alex (4 June 2010). "At Least 100 Dead In Bangladesh Fire". Sky News. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
  13. ↑ "114 killed in Bangladesh fire". RTÉ News. 4 June 2010. Retrieved 4 June 2010.

Coordinates: 22°19′53″N 91°48′44″E / 22.331306°N 91.81233°E