At least 48 students were hospitalized for smoke inhalation after a fire broke out at a madrasa in Narayanganj’s Fatullah area early Tuesday morning. Three of the victims are currently in critical condition in the intensive care unit (ICU).
The fire started at around 2:00 AM at Jamia Ashrafia Madrasa in the Signboard area. According to the Fire Service and Civil Defence four firefighting units rushed to the scene after receiving an alert at 1:55 AM and successfully brought the blaze under control by 3:44 AM.
The fire originated from an electrical short circuit on the building's lower floor where a library was completely gutted. Dense smoke quickly spread through the five-storey building also triggering panic and a chaotic rush as students tried to evacuate.
Dr. Sultan Mahmud Shikder, a resident physician at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery confirmed that 48 students were admitted due to severe smoke inhalation. Three students identified as Yusuf (18), Khairul (22) and Zubayer (18) suffered critical respiratory tract injuries and were shifted to the ICU.
