Death toll rises to 120 in Bangladesh

According to reports received at 6:55 pm [Bangladesh local time], at least 120 people, mostly women and children were burned alive or died later in the hospitals following a blaze in the densely populated old part of Dhaka, which broke out at mid night of Thursday. Weekly Blitz reporter said, the total number of death may even cross 150 by Saturday noon as most of those admitted in hospitals with severe fire burns are in critical condition.

The devastation was so severe that charred bodies, many of them beyond recognition, were seen lying everywhere – in alleyways, in front of shops, in staircases and inside rooms. According to witnesses, two electrical transformers exploded at Nawab Katra area in Dhaka, wherefrom the fire broke and quickly engulfed adjacent areas. The fireball leapt up to around 200 feet and then rained down on several houses. Subsequently gas leaked from pipe lines turned the entire area into virtual hell. When the fire broke, it was raining heavily, otherwise, the devastation would be several folds higher.

Hundreds of local people joined the rescue operations, risking their own lives. They fought the fire with whatever they could find. Initially high temperature, smoke and extreme darkness greatly obstructed the rescue operation.

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