28th March 2019: A Day I Will Never Forget
It was Thursday, 28th March 2019, and a sunny day. Everything in the office was routine; we had been working since morning as usual. Around 10:30 a.m., I took the elevator down with two colleagues, Toukir and Mamun. While they went for tea and snacks, I headed to the bank to withdraw cash and returned to the office around 11:30 a.m.
I had planned a meeting for 2:30 p.m. with my sales team, specifically to address some credit issues. My favorite and dearest colleague, Abdullah, who had been working with me since 2013 and sat directly in front of me, was helping to coordinate the meeting. Mithu, another finance colleague who always brings fun to the workplace, was with us too—he’s destined to be a millionaire one day.
Everything seemed normal until Jessica our front desk colleague shouted “FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!” our front desk colleague shouted as they ran past us. We immediately rushed to the window to see what was happening. Flames were visible on the 7th or 8th floor. We advised everyone to evacuate, but it took us about five minutes to organize ourselves and attempt to leave. Unfortunately, the stairs were too hot, like a chimney, making it impossible to use them
We decided to return to the office and stay inside. By then, it was around 12:30 p.m. on that sunny day. YES , I’m referring to the fire at FR Tower in Banani, Dhaka, on 28th March 2019. Our building was adjacent to two others, with roads of 100 and 80 feet on the North and South sides respectively.
I wasn’t scared at first; I called my driver and my brother-in-law, who supported me greatly during that time. I was confident that the fire would be brought under control and we could eventually leave, but I was mistaken. Even after five hours, the fire was still not under control, and smoke began to fill our 11th-floor office.
Everyone, including myself, was terrified. We communicated with our families, saying our goodbyes as if we might never meet again. People were crying and moving around, and no words could describe the situation. The air was difficult to breathe, and the room was dark. My last conversation with my brother-in-law was to stay calm and avoid making any rash decisions.
I decided to check for a safer area and found a spot on the floor where there was light and no smoke. It was easier to breathe there. When I looked outside, it was still daylight, and people were shouting from below.
I had to make a decision on how to escape. I noticed that the air conditioning units outside were aligned from the 10th to the 2nd floor. If I could climb down to the 3rd or even the 4th floor, people might be able to rescue me from there. With no other options, I took the risk. I removed my shoes but kept my wet socks on and placed my mobile phone in my pocket, hoping it might help identify me if needed.
I instructed myself not to trust my footing, as it might be slippery, and to hold on to something firmly. I also reminded myself to think carefully before taking each step and to remain calm. I didn’t involve other colleagues in this risky decision since I couldn’t guarantee their safety.
I climbed out of the window and descended 2-3 floors when suddenly flames appeared from below. I was terrified, but people from the ground guided me, though the noise made it hard to hear. Ultimately, I decided to check for myself and, by the grace of Almighty, found an open window in the next building, which was only a meter away. I managed to get into that building and made my way down the stairs— it felt like a miracle.
Meanwhile, I lost Abdullah, Mithu, Jessica , two other colleagues Fazle and Rabbi.
My Lessons Learned:
- Don’t Panic: Keep yourself cool and calm.
- Avoid Wrong Decisions: People don’t die from burning itself but from making wrong decisions in panic.
- Remember These Key Points:
- Fire tends to move upwards; stay low.
- Oxygen is denser near the floor.
- Keep your body and clothes wet.
- The major problem in a fire is inhaling CO2 and smoke. Cover your mouth and nose with a wet cloth.
- As a last resort, seek shelter under something like a table.
- Keep your eyes and ears open; the rescue team will be close.
If you follow these guidelines, there is a 90% chance of being rescued safely.
This is my personal experience, and I am sharing it to help others. If even one person benefits from it, we have succeeded. Our project aims to create awareness about fire safety, emphasizing that proper safety measures can prevent loss of life and property. We will guide you on maintaining safety measures at your place, the necessary fire extinguisher materials, how to use them, and how to rescue others in a fire.