79 fall ill in madrasa library fire in N’ganj

Seventy-nine students fell ill after a fire broke out at the library on the second floor of Jamia Ashrafia Madrasa in the Shantidhara area of Signboard in Fatullah, Narayanganj Sadar upazila. 

They were taken to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery for treatment. Four of them are in critical condition.

The fire broke out at around 1:30am on Tuesday. Five fire service units from Kanchpur and Shibu Market responded to the incident and brought the blaze under control at around 3:43am.

Dr Sultan Mahmud Shikder, a resident physician at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said that none of the 79 students had visible burn injuries. However, they suffered respiratory tract injuries after inhaling smoke. Sixty-three students were admitted to the hospital for treatment and observation, while 16 were discharged after receiving treatment and undergoing medical evaluation.

Four of the affected students are in critical condition. The students currently in the intensive care unit (ICU) were identified as Yusuf, 18, Khairul, 22, and Zubayer, 18. The identity of the student on a ventilator could not be confirmed.

Madrasa Principal Mufti Mofizul Islam said that a teacher heard a sound coming from the library around 1:30am and discovered the fire. The teacher then woke up nearby students and attempted to put out the blaze. As the fire intensified, the fire service was called. Many students fell ill due to smoke inhalation and a rush while coming down from the upper floors.

Madrasa teacher Nizam Uddin said around 1,300 students from the Nurani to Ifta departments study at the institution. The fire broke out in the library on the second floor of one of its three multi-storey buildings. The library contained books worth around Tk 70-80 lakh, many of which had been collected over the past 30 years. Books, four air-conditioner indoor units, eight computers, an IPS and electric fans, among other items, were destroyed in the fire. The madrasa authorities estimated the total damage at around Tk 1 crore.

The district administration formed a four-member probe committee headed by Additional District Commissioner (Education and ICT) Alinur Khan. District Commissioner Md Raihan Kabir directed the committee to submit its report within three working days.

Alinur Khan said a preliminary assessment suggested that the fire might have originated from an electrical short circuit. The probe will also examine whether there was any negligence or fault on the part of the madrasa authorities. The CID Crime Scene Unit collected evidence from the scene.

On Tuesday, State Minister for Health M A Muhith visited the students receiving treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery and said arrangements had been made to provide them with free treatment. Two medical boards comprising 13 to 14 specialist doctors have been formed to oversee the treatment of more than 50 students.

He said the students had suffered serious respiratory tract problems and injuries due to the fire and that all necessary medical assistance was being provided.