Two elderly women died, reportedly due to suffocation from smoke, in a fire that broke out in Moulvibazar Sadar upazila late Saturday, according to the Fire Service. The deceased were identified as Meherunnesa, 65, the mother of former local Union Parishad chairman Sheikh Rumel Ahmed, and his paternal aunt Phulennsa Begum, 60. Both were residents of Mostapur village in the upazila. Jishu Talukdar, station officer of Moulvibazar Fire Service and Civil Defence, said they were informed about the incident around 2am. Upon reaching the scene, they found the duo unconscious in a room, apparently suffocated by smoke. Read: Fire at agro-products warehouse in Mymensingh under control “They were rescued and rushed to the Sadar Hospital, but physicians declared them dead upon arrival,” he said. The fire is suspected to have originated from an electric short-circuit in one of the rooms of the duplex house, Talukdar added. Police personnel also visited the spot following the incident.

Two elderly women, who sustained burns while warming in fire in separate incidents, died at Rangpur Medical College Hospital (RMCH) on Thursday.