6 Bangladeshis Killed in South Africa Shop Fire

Six Bangladeshi nationals were killed and another was critically injured after a fire broke out at a shop in South Africa's Eastern Cape province early Monday, leaving the expatriate community in mourning.

The fire occurred at around 3:00am in the Samo area, about 150 kilometres from Queenstown (Komani). All the victims were reportedly from Narayanganj district.

According to preliminary reports, seven Bangladeshis were sleeping in a room inside the shop when the fire suddenly broke out. Six of them died at the scene, while the lone survivor suffered critical injuries and was taken to Queenstown Hospital for treatment.

The deceased have been identified as Md Faisal, 25, Md Fahim, 28, Shamim Hasan, 30, and Mohammad Apon, 24. The identities of the remaining two victims have yet to be confirmed.

Local sources said all the victims were from the Kurugeshwar area of Kutubpur Union in Fatullah, Narayanganj.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and South African police have launched an investigation.

The incident has sparked grief among the Bangladeshi community in South Africa, with expatriate organisations expressing condolences and offering prayers for the victims.

Bangladeshi nationals have previously died in similar fire incidents in South Africa. On October 20, 2018, four Bangladeshis, including three members of the same family from Daganbhuiyan in Feni, were killed in a shop fire in Brits, North West province.

More recently, on October 30, 2024, two Bangladeshis lost their lives in a fire at a commercial complex in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal.