Dhaka (Bangladesh): At least one person died after jumping from the 11th floor to escape a deadly fire that engulfed a 13-story apartment building in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, an official said. Bachchu Miah, Chief of Dhaka Medical College Hospital's police outpost, told reporters that "the body of a male reached Dhaka Medical College Hospital".
He said, "We've come to know that the victim is one of the four people who jumped off the building in a bid to save themselves from the blaze." He added that three other persons are receiving treatment at the hospital in critical condition, Xinhua news agency reported. The fire broke out on the 6th floor of the building, and the inferno subsequently went on to engulf other floors of it.
The cause of the fire, which broke out around 7:00 p.m. local time on Sunday, was not immediately known. Firefighters rushed to the spot upon receipt of information and brought the fire under control after four hours of relentless efforts. At least seven fire engines were pressed to douse the fire on the sixth floor of the 12-storey building in Dhaka's diplomatic area Gulshan. Thick black smoke billowed from the building, which was visible from at least several km away.
No one knows how many are trapped inside the burning building though dozens of people were shortly evacuated from the building. Security officials say at least 22 people were evacuated from the building in Dhaka's diplomatic area Gulshan, while several people reportedly jumped off the building in a bid to save themselves from the blaze. (With agency inputs)
