Fire Service and Civil Defense headquarters has formed a 5-member committee to investigate the death of five patients at the isolation unit of city’s United Hospital on Wednesday night following a fire incident.

Deputy director (Dhaka) Debasis Bardhan will lead the committee, said Rasel Shikder, duty officer of fire service control room.

The five patients who were killed in the fire incident, are- Riyazul Alam 45, Khodeza Begum, 70, Verun Anthony Paul, 74, Md. Monir Hossain, 75, and Mohammad Mahbub, 50, according to a statement of United Hospital .

Among the victims, there were three covid-19 patients, said Abdul Ahad, additional deputy commissioner (Gulshan Zone).

The patients were undergoing treatment with Covid-19 like symptoms at the isolation ward outside the main hospital building,said the hospital statement.

According to the statement, the fire originated from electric short circuit at 9:30am and spread soon fast due to gusty wind.

Later, the fire service was informed immediately who brought the blaze under control within 15-20minutes with the hospital's own fire extinguishers, added the statement.

“Fire service in coordination with the hospital authority is conducting thorough investigation to find out the cause of the accident. We convey sympathy to the bereaved families. We are ready with all possible support to assist them in this trying time,” said the United Hospital authority in a condolence message.

“We’ve recovered five bodies,” Kamrul Islam, duty officer of fire service control room, told UNB on Wednesday night.

The fire broke out at the corona ward around 9:55pm and was extinguished around 10:25pm.

Kamrul said they initially suspect an AC explosion caused the fire.

Meanwhile, a crime scene unit of the Criminal Investigation Department ( CID) visited the spot on Thursday morning, said Rumuna Akhter, special super (forensic of CID).