MMC Hospital Fire: Conflicting Claims Over Deaths After Chaotic Evacuation

A fire on the eighth floor of the new building at Mymensingh Medical College (MMC) Hospital on Monday evening caused panic among patients, relatives and staff, triggering a rush down the stairs. Conflicting statements from police and the administration have created uncertainty over whether anyone died in the incident and, if so, how many.

The fire started at about 5:45pm and quickly filled the building with smoke. Patients, relatives, doctors and hospital employees rushed to leave the building, causing a crush on the stairs.

Reports initially circulated that six people had died. Additional Superintendent of Police Abdullah Al Mamun confirmed in a message the deaths of Hazera Begum, Shahjahan, Ramzan, Jahanara, Kulsum and an unidentified child.

Divisional Commissioner SM Humayun Kabir Sarkar, however, told journalists at about 1am that authorities had found no evidence that anyone died in the fire or in a stampede.

“Until now, we have not found any information or evidence that six people died after being trampled,” he said. “We have spoken to the Fire Service, emergency department doctors, nurses and other staff. We have also checked their registers. No evidence of death from trampling has been found.”

The divisional commissioner said one person listed as dead was still alive and receiving treatment at the hospital. Family members confirmed that two of the remaining four had died of natural causes, while the causes of death of the other two had not yet been established, he said.

Police later issued another preliminary update at about 1:30am through the Range DIG media wing’s Messenger group, saying information had been received that two people had died.

Jahanara, who had been listed as dead, was later brought before journalists. Hospital staff did not allow her to speak when she attempted to describe her brother’s death.

Relatives of two patients claimed that they died after falling on the stairs as patients and attendants ran in panic following the fire. The two were Kulsum Akhtar, 35, wife of Shahidul Islam of Balikha village in Tarakanda, and Shahajahan Monir, 45, of Bishnurampur village in Rangamatia Union, Phulpur.

Nazma Akhtar, Kulsum’s sister-in-law, said at about midnight that Kulsum had been admitted to Ward No. 31 with her 12-year-old son, Swadhin, who had been suffering from jaundice for 12 days. Kulsum’s 18-year-old daughter, Mim, was also with them.

Nazma said Kulsum tried to descend the stairs with her son and daughter after people began running inside the hospital. Mim got out first, then returned to find people pulling Swadhin out, but Kulsum could not be located.

Kulsum was later rescued and given oxygen, and she was still breathing at that time, Nazma claimed. Kulsum died before Nazma could reach the hospital.

“We have an allegation,” Nazma said, adding that the family collected the necessary documents from the hospital and took Kulsum’s body home.

Shahajahan Monir had been receiving treatment for tuberculosis on the third floor of the new building for about 10 to 12 days, according to his son, Palash Molla.

Palash said his father, mother Harisa Akhtar and maternal aunt Jahanara Akhtar were going downstairs together when people pushed them from behind, causing them to fall.

Harisa and Jahanara were admitted to Ward No. 10 with injuries, Palash said. Palash said he was not at the hospital at the time of the incident and later met his mother. Relatives took his father’s body home, and he saw photographs of the body on a mobile phone, he added.

Abu Wahab Akand, the Member of Parliament for Mymensingh-4 (Sadar) and vice-president of the hospital management committee, said the hospital’s list of deceased people had contributed to the confusion.

“A patient named Jahanara, whose name was included on the list of the dead, is alive,” he said. “She is still receiving treatment. The matter will become clear if the list is compared with the actual situation.”

Allegations also emerged that one of the hospital’s two staircases was closed after the fire, forcing patients and relatives to use a single staircase and contributing to the chaos.

Divisional Commissioner Sarkar said authorities were aware of the allegation. Hospital authorities said some staircases had been kept closed for security reasons, he said, adding that officials would investigate whether there had been any irregularity or mismanagement.

The administration acknowledged that several people were injured during the rush, including possible cuts to hands and legs and head injuries. Authorities did not confirm whether anyone had died from smoke inhalation.

Mymensingh Fire Service Assistant Director Purna Chandra Mutsuddi said the fire originated from an electrical short circuit in the lift control room on the eighth floor of the new building. Ten Fire Service units brought the blaze under control after about 30 minutes of efforts.

Investigators have yet to establish a clear account of the number of deaths, their causes and the allegations concerning hospital safety arrangements.