Keraniganj fire: 9 on life support, families extremely worried

Sohan came to Dhaka's Keraniganj only a week ago from Jamalpur to earn money in order to pay his fees for the Higher Secondary Certificate exams. He took a job at Prime Plate and Plastic Industries Limited.

Only five days after his joining the company, the seventeen-year-old got seriously burnt in a deadly fire that broke out in the factory last Wednesday. He has been put on life support in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Sheikh Hasina Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute in Chankharpool area.

Sohan's worried parents and two brothers have been passing every moment since Wednesday in front of the ICU amid fears of possible shocking news about the adolescent boy.

"For the last three days, none of us has slept even for a while. We are extremely worried about whether he will get well or not," said Sohan's brother Almas. His eyes were full of tears as he went around looking for B+ blood for his brother in an agitated state.

Sohan is the youngest among three brothers. He is a bright student, Almas said, adding, "But our poor family was unable to bear his educational expenses."

"So, he used to meet his expenses on his own. He came looking for jobs in Dhaka several times in the past too. But now suddenly everything is at risk for the family," he further said.

Sohan's mother, emotionally upset over the condition of her youngest son, has taken to bed in front of the ICU.

Quite a large number of relatives of the Keraniganj fire victims crowded before the ICU at Sheikh Hasina Burn Institute. Some were weeping while some others were in prayers for the recovery of the victims.

Adjacent to the ICU is a small room with no lights. There, some were lying while some were sitting, all in anxious wait for doctors to emerge from the ICU and inform them of the patients' conditions. 

This correspondent talked to Saiful Islam, the elder brother of another fire victim, Sumon, at the ICU gate. Sumon has had 95 percent of his body burned in the factory fire.

Since Wednesday's accident, Sumon's parents, wife, six siblings and other relatives have been staying in the hospital.

"We have been taking only tea and bread for the last three days. We cannot move from in front of the ICU as we are afraid of some bad news that might come anytime," said Saiful Islam.

"Fire accidents have been taking place repeatedly [in Bangladesh]. After commotion for a day or two, all is forgotten," he said. "Don't the lives of those poor people working in factories have any value?" He questioned.

Nine patients out of the 17 critically injured in the fire have been admitted to Sheikh Hasina Burn Institute. The rest are at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital.

About the injured, Dr Samanta Lal Sen, coordinator of the Sheikh Hasina Burn Institute, said all the nine victims have been put on life support in the ICU.

"Every patient is in a critical state due to inhalation burns. All are at the crossroads of life and death. But those admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital are in a comparatively better state," he said.

It may be recalled that a fire broke out at Prime Plate and Plastic Industries Ltd at Hijaltola in Dakkhin Keraniganj upazila's Chunkutiya area on Wednesday. The fire left one dead on the spot and 37 others with burn injuries.

Thirty-four of them were brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital with critical burn injuries. Thirteen of them succumbed to their injuries in the hospital on Thursday while another died on Saturday, raising the death toll to a total of 14 so far.