Banani fireman Sohel dies at Singapore hospital

Firefighter Sohel Rana, who sustained serious injuries during the FR Tower fire rescue operation, died at a hospital in Singapore early today.

Sohel succumbed to his injuries at Singapore General Hospital around 2:17am, Farid Uddin, operator of Fire Service and Civil Defence headquarters, told The Daily Star.

Sohel was among the first responders to the FR Tower fire on March 28 that claimed the lives of 26 people and left around 100 injured. While his colleagues were dousing the fire, Sohel along with some others were taking trapped persons to safety using a ladder.

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“As the ladder truck overflowed in the second rescue attempt, Sohel took position on ladder steps. But he got trapped there, and his legs were broken while the ladder was getting folded to drop survivors on the ground. A hole also developed in his stomach,” his colleague Rubel Ahmed said.

Critically injured, Sohel was taken to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka. Later, he was taken to Singapore for better treatment.

Second among five siblings, Sohel financially supported his family in Itna upazila in Kishoreganj. His father Noor Islam is a farmer.

The US embassy in Dhaka was saddened by the death of Sohel and offered condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.