Condition of Jhalakathi launch fire victims still critical: Dr Samanta Lal

The injured survivors of the deadly launch fire, who are now undergoing treatment at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (SHNIBPS), are in critical condition.

"All fifteen injured passengers have burnt their respiratory tracts in the fire incident," Dr Samanta Lal Sen, coordinator of the institute, told The Business Standard on Sunday.

Three of them have been shifted to the intensive care units (ICU), of whom one is now on life support. The other two currently in the high dependency units (HDU), are also at high risk.

"We will hold a meeting with the medical board in Barishal today after 12pm to request them not to send those to SHNIBPS, who can be treated there," Dr Samanta Lal added.

"However, it is very risky to move a patient with burn injuries without air transport. We will try our best to treat the victims there," he added.

The Barguna-bound launch MV Abhjan-10 which was carrying some 1,000 passengers was reduced to a skeleton in the blaze on the Sugandha River in Jhalakathi Sadar upazila early Friday, with dozens burnt to death and many gone missing.

According to the health ministry, the death toll increased to 41 as of Saturday afternoon.

Earlier, a seven-member team of doctors from our institute went to Barishal on Friday to monitor the burnt patients there. Only after their recommendation, patients in need of advanced treatment were sent to Dhaka.

A total of 21 victims were brought to the burn institute in the capital, according to the hospital authorities. Of them, 16 were admitted and four were discharged after necessary treatment. One of the admitted was later referred to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital. 

Condition of the 15 injured

Eight-year-old Tamin Hasan suffered 30% burn injuries, 35-year-old Jesmine Akter 12%, 51-year-old Bachchu Mia 4%, 22-year-old Ishrat Zahan Sadia 20%, 45-year-old Shahinur Khatun 25%, 48-year-old Marufa15%, 45-year-old Selim Reza 18%, 13-year-old Lamia 10%, 70-year-old Mamtaz 8%, 38-year-old Mohammad Russel 18%, 60-year-old Bankim Majumdar 12%, 40-year-old Monika Rani 30%, 20-year-old Golam Rabbi 9%, 27-year-old Khadiza 15% and 35-year-old Bashir 6%.