A 55-year-old man has died days after suffering severe burns in a fire at a house in Shyambazar, in Dhaka’s Sutrapur area, taking the death toll from the incident to two.
Mohammad Siddiq died at around 2.15am on Thursday, 24 September, while receiving treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. His death followed that of his 25-year-old son, Emon, who was also among those seriously injured in the fire.
The incident occurred at around 4.45pm on Saturday, 19 September, at a residence in the Shyambazar area. According to information available about the incident, a family dispute preceded the fire, after which Emon poured petrol inside his room and set it alight.
Five people were injured in the resulting blaze. Siddiq was among those inside the room at the time. The fire spread rapidly, leaving several family members with significant burn injuries.
Relatives rescued the injured and took them to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, where they were admitted for treatment. The extent of their injuries varied, with some suffering burns over substantial portions of their bodies.
Dr Sultan Mahmud, a resident physician at the institute, said Siddiq had suffered burns to around 35 per cent of his body. Despite receiving treatment, he remained in a critical condition and died early on Thursday.
His son Emon had died earlier while undergoing treatment. The deaths of father and son within a matter of days have left the family facing two successive losses from the same incident.
Three other victims remain under treatment at the burn institute. Tania, 18, sustained burns to approximately 60 per cent of her body, making her condition particularly serious. Doctors have described her condition as critical.
Rajib, 35, suffered burns to around 15 per cent of his body, while Dhalu Mia, also known as Arif, 34, sustained burns to about 8 per cent. Both remain under medical care.
Doctors are continuing to monitor the three patients, with particular concern over Tania because of the extent of her burns. The patients’ treatment is being determined according to the severity of their injuries and their response to medical care.
The fire turned what had reportedly begun as a family dispute into a serious medical emergency within moments. Five people were injured and, despite treatment, two of them have since died.
Siddiq’s death means that two members of the same family have now lost their lives in the Shyambazar incident. The three remaining patients are still receiving treatment at the specialised burn hospital, with Tania’s condition remaining a major concern.
