A tragic recurrence of fire safety lapses

The death of six people—including two minors and one two-year-old—in a fire at a residential building in Uttara is a painful reminder of our persistent negligence regarding fire safety. The incident occurred around 7:50 am on Friday, when the blaze broke out on the first floor of a seven-storey building at Sector 11. Although two units of firefighters arrived promptly and brought the fire under control by 8:25 am, six precious lives were lost.

Firefighters found the rooftop door locked, which may have been a major factor in the deaths, as residents were reportedly trying to reach it to escape. According to our report, roof doors in most buildings in the area are routinely kept locked for “security” reasons, preventing their use during emergencies. The building in question did have fire extinguishers on each floor, but according to officials, none had been used. Officials believe the fire may have originated from an electrical short circuit, or a gas leak in the pipelines, or a kitchen. Only a thorough investigation will reveal the actual cause.

Over the years, we have seen countless fire incidents in which the causes often included electrical faults, unsafe gas lines, and poorly maintained kitchens. Yet the broader issue remains unchanged. Despite innumerable fire tragedies in high-rise buildings—including residential ones—few have even basic fire safety mechanisms such as smoke detectors, sprinklers, and functional fire extinguishers. Fire drills are practically nonexistent in most buildings. Proper investigations will determine whether the Uttara building violated building codes by lacking a proper fire safety mechanism, but Friday’s tragedy, in which the victims reportedly died of asphyxiation rather than burns, must prompt strict enforcement of fire safety measures.

The Fire Prevention and Extinguishing Act, 2003 defines high-rises as buildings with seven storeys or more and sets out several prerequisites for compliance with the Bangladesh National Building Code. But how many buildings are actually compliant? Every high-rise, for instance, must have a fire exit and control panels to detect the precise origin of a fire. Owners must ensure that basic firefighting equipment is installed in accessible locations. The fire service, together with building owners, should train a portion of residents in the use of firefighting equipment and conduct regular fire drills. All buildings are required to have fire alarms and sprinkler systems installed in all flats. Rooftop doors must also remain unlocked. Moreover, building owners and tenants should routinely check gas pipelines for leaks, as well as faulty wiring and overloaded multiplugs, which often lead to fires.

Most importantly, the authorities must carry out regular monitoring of buildings to ensure that fire safety measures are in place and equipment is properly maintained. If rules exist only on paper and are routinely flouted because of poor monitoring and weak enforcement, it will inevitably lead to more such tragedies.