6 Bangladeshis Die in Horrific Fire in South Africa

Six Bangladeshi nationals have lost their lives in a devastating overnight fire that swept through a commercial establishment in Queenstown, a town located in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. The blaze broke out in the early hours of Tuesday, 28 July 2026. Another Bangladeshi national sustained critical injuries in the incident and remains hospitalized in serious condition.

The victims were identified as Rafiqul Islam Rafiq (47) from Sirajdikhan in Munshiganj; Mostafa Kamal (38) and Md Raju (32) from Daganbhuiyan and Feni Sadar in Feni; Shahadat Hossain (29) also from Feni Sadar; and Md Jasim (36) and Alamgir Hossain (33) from Chatkhil in Noakhali. The injured survivor, identified as 35-year-old Md Helal, also hails from the Daganbhuiyan region in Feni.

According to local community members and eyewitness accounts, the fire erupted inside a grocery and general store operated by Bangladeshi expatriates in the town centre. Several employees were sleeping inside the premises following the end of their business shift when the fire started during the early hours.

The flames spread rapidly due to the high concentration of flammable retail goods and dry stock inside the shop. Because the main entrances were secured from the inside and ventilation was limited, the occupants became trapped as thick smoke engulfed the interior. Hearing cries for help, local residents alerted the emergency services and police.

Fire crews arrived promptly at the scene and battled the blaze for nearly three hours before bringing it under control. Emergency personnel recovered six charred bodies from the building. First responders rescued Md Helal from the wreckage and rushed him to a nearby public hospital, where medical staff reported that he is receiving intensive care for extensive burn injuries.

Local police authorities and fire investigators suspect that an electrical short circuit triggered the fatal blaze. South African law enforcement agencies have opened a formal inquiry to ascertain the exact cause of the tragedy.

The tragic event has sent shockwaves through the Bangladeshi expatriate community in the Eastern Cape. Back home, grieving family members in Munshiganj, Feni, and Noakhali have appealed to the High Commission of Bangladesh in Pretoria and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assist with administrative formalities and expedite the repatriation of the deceased.