More than 50 people have been hospitalized with burn injuries after a Bangladesh Air Force F-7 training aircraft crashed into a building on the campus of Milestone College in Dhaka’s Uttara around 1:30 PM on Monday.
Rescue operations were promptly launched by the Bangladesh Army and Fire Service personnel following the crash, which sent plumes of smoke rising from the campus and triggered panic in the Diabari area.
At least 18 injured individuals were initially taken to Lubana General Hospital. A duty doctor at the hospital told media at around 3:00 PM that 12 of the injured had been transferred to the burn unit. “Four to five of them are in critical condition,” the doctor said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Md Nasiruddin, Director of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, confirmed that more than 30 patients had been admitted to their facility. “Our emergency unit has 30 beds, all of which are now full. We are moving additional patients to other departments for treatment,” he added.
Two other victims were also admitted to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said Resident Surgeon Harunur Rashid.
The exact number of casualties has not yet been officially confirmed, but authorities have acknowledged that the situation is serious, with multiple critical cases.
The crash occurred shortly after classes had ended at the school, narrowly avoiding what could have been a far more devastating outcome. Initial reports suggest the jet struck the rooftop of the school’s canteen building.
Emergency services continue rescue efforts at the scene, and an investigation into the cause of the crash is underway.