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Six Bangladeshis have died in a horrific fire at a shop in the Somo area, approximately 150 kilometers from Queenstown (now Komani) in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province. Another person was critically injured in the incident and is currently receiving treatment in hospital.
The tragic accident occurred around 3 AM on Monday (July 27).
It is reported that seven Bangladeshis were sleeping in the residential quarters inside the shop. When the fire suddenly spread in the dead of night, six of them died on the spot. The critically injured individual was rescued and admitted to Queenstown Hospital.
Among the deceased, the identities of Md. Faisal (25), Md. Fahim (28), Shamim Hasan (30), and Mohammad Apon (24) have been confirmed. The identities of the remaining two have not yet been released.
Local sources claim that all the deceased hailed from the Kurugeshwar area of Kutubpur Union, Fatullah Upazila, Narayanganj district in Bangladesh.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined. Local police have initiated an investigation into the incident.
The incident has cast a shadow of grief among Bangladeshi expatriates living in South Africa. Various expatriate organizations have prayed for the salvation of the deceased souls and expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families.
It is worth noting that this is not the first incident of Bangladeshis losing their lives in fires in South Africa. On October 20, 2018, four Bangladeshis, including three members of the same family from Daganbhuiyan Upazila, Feni, died in a shop fire in Brits town, North West Province. Additionally, on October 30, 2024, two more Bangladeshis died in a fire at a commercial complex in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal province.