ix people, including an unidentified child, were killed in a stampede following a fire at Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) on Monday evening.
The fire broke out around 6pm on the eighth floor of the hospital’s new building. As panic spread among patients and their relatives, people rushed down the stairs, resulting in the deaths of six people in the ensuing stampede.
The deceased were identified as Hazera Begum, 50, Shahjahan, 40, Ramzan, 38, Jahanara, 50, and Kulsum, 35. The identity of the child was not immediately known.
Following the fire, 10 firefighting units from five stations of Mymensingh Fire Service rushed to the hospital and began efforts to bring the blaze under control. After the situation was brought under control, additional units were withdrawn, while four units remained at the scene.
Mymensingh Fire Service Assistant Director Purna Chandra Mutsuddi said the fire was initially believed to have started due to overheating caused by an electrical short circuit on a board connected to the controller machine in the lift control room of the hospital’s new eight-storey building.
However, he said the exact cause of the fire would be confirmed after an investigation.
According to the fire service official, smoke spread to different floors of the building after the fire broke out in the control room. Although the fire itself was not extensive, the smoke triggered panic among patients and their relatives.
Hospital Deputy Director Zakiul Islam said none of the hospital wards was damaged in the fire. He added that the exact cause of the incident and whether there was any fault in the electrical system would be determined after an investigation.
