M'singh Medical fire raises questions over locked stairways; Committee formed

Witnesses alleged that only one of the building’s four stairways was open at the time, forcing people to crowd onto a single exit route.

The circumstances surrounding the reported deaths remain unclear. Police initially said six people had died in the rush to escape the fire. 

However, Mymensingh Divisional Commissioner SM Humayun Kabir later said the six-death toll could not be confirmed. According to him, one person listed among the deceased was later found alive. Of the remaining five, authorities verified that two had died of natural causes and had been brought to the hospital after their deaths.

The causes of death of the other two people have yet to be established, he added. Doctors were also unable to immediately determine whether they had died because of the fire, the rush to evacuate or other causes.

The commissioner said the reported death toll would only be confirmed after the investigation.
Witnesses describe chaos during evacuation

Witnesses said panic spread quickly after the fire was detected. One eyewitness said he shouted to alert others after noticing the fire, while ambulance sirens began sounding shortly afterward.

He said people tried to leave the building but were unable to exit through one gate because it was closed.

Another witness said the situation could have been less severe if the gate had been opened immediately. As people began leaving, however, the crowd became increasingly chaotic, with pushing and jostling reported on the stairs.

Relatives of two people listed among the reported casualties also described falls and crushing during the evacuation.

Faisal Ahmed, a relative of Kulsum, said she fell on a staircase while trying to help her son and other family members escape. He claimed she was subsequently crushed under the feet of people rushing downstairs.

Palash, the son of Shahjahan of Fulbaria upazila, said his father, mother and another relative were helping him evacuate when they were knocked down by people rushing from behind. They were later taken to separate rooms, after which he was informed that his father had died.

The closure of most of the building’s stairways has emerged as a key issue in the investigation.

Authorities are examining why most of the stairways were locked, whether they were unusable, and whether any negligence or irregularity contributed to the situation during the evacuation.

The divisional commissioner said the issue would be thoroughly investigated along with the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths.

Four units of the Fire Service and Civil Defence responded to the blaze and brought it under control.

Mymensingh Fire Service Assistant Director Purna Chandra Mutsuddi said the fire may have originated from an electrical short circuit in a board connected to a controller machine inside the lift control room. Excessive heat may have triggered the blaze, he said, describing this as the preliminary assessment.
Five-member committee begins investigation

The hospital authorities have formed a five-member committee to investigate the cause of the fire, the overall situation inside the hospital during the incident and the actual circumstances behind the reported deaths.

The committee is also expected to examine the building’s emergency evacuation arrangements, including the availability and accessibility of stairways and exits.

Authorities said the final number of casualties and the causes of death would be established after the investigation is completed.