Six Bangladeshis have been killed in a massive fire at a shop in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province. Another person was seriously injured in the incident. According to local sources, all the victims were killed in Narayanganj district.
The accident took place in the Samo area about 150km from Queenstown (now Komani) in Eastern Cape on Monday (July 27th).
Seven Bangladeshis were sleeping in the residential room inside the shop. Six people died on the spot when the fire broke out in the night. Another person was rescued and taken to Queenstown Hospital. He is currently undergoing treatment.
Among the dead, Mo. Faisal (25), Md. The identities of Fahim (28), Shamim Hasan (30) and Mohammad Apon (24) have been confirmed. The other two are being identified.
Local sources said all the victims were from Kurugeshwar area of Kutubpur union in Fatullah upazila of Narayanganj district.
The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Local police have launched an investigation into the incident.
The tragic incident has cast a shadow of mourning among Bangladeshi expatriates living in South Africa. Various expatriate organizations prayed for the souls of the deceased and offered their condolences to the bereaved families.
Earlier on October 20, 2018, four Bangladeshis, including three from the same family, were killed in a fire at a shop in the city of Brits in North West province. Two more Bangladeshis were killed in a fire at a commercial complex in Petermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal province, on October 30, 2024.