Bhasantek fire: Death toll rises to 3 as another dies

The death toll from a fire that broke out at Paschim Bhashantek area of the capital on Friday (April 12) have risen to three as another burned victim died at a Dhaka hospital early Tuesday.

The deceased Md Liton, 48, breathed his last around 6:00am at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery after the deaths of his wife Surya Banu, 35, and mother-in-law Meherunnesa, 70.
Earlier, Surya Banu have passed away on Monday night and her mother-in-law Meherunnesa  died while receiving treatment at the hospital with 48 percent burns on Saturday.

Torikul Islam, a resident surgeon at the burn institute, confirmed the death matter and added that Liton had burns on 67 percent of his body.

Six members of the family were injured after the fire broke out on the ground floor of the house in Natun Bazar Culvert Road area around 4:00am on April 12.

The couple's three children -- Liza, 18, with 30 percent burn injuries, Sujon, 9, with 55 percent, and Lamiya, 7, with 43 percent -- are still being treatment at the hospital.

According to the neighbour Moyna, victim Liton used to live with his family on the ground floor of a two-storey building on Culvert Road in Paschim Bhashantek area.

The family had a gas cylinder outside the house and connected it to the gas stove inside using a pipe.

Some how, the gas cylinder's pipe might have cut, and a fire broke out with a big bang when Liton was about to lit a mosquito repellent coil, leaving all the family members injured, the neighbour said.

SA