Six Bangladeshi expatriates lost their lives and another sustained critical injuries following a devastating fire at a retail establishment in Queenstown, located in South Africa's Eastern Cape province, early Tuesday.

The surviving victim was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he is currently undergoing emergency medical care.

The tragedy unfolded at approximately 3 am local time when the blaze suddenly erupted while the victims were asleep inside the store premises.

Upon completing rescue and recovery operations at the scene, local police and emergency fire services retrieved the bodies of the six deceased.

Law enforcement authorities have refrained from officially confirming the full identities of the deceased as formal investigative procedures remain underway.

Police and fire department officials have launched a joint inquiry to ascertain the precise cause of the inferno, which has yet to be determined.

In the wake of the incident, members of the local Bangladeshi expatriate community have stepped forward to assist authorities with victim identification and facilitate necessary logistical support.

Preliminary findings indicate that all six individuals who perished in the fire hailed from various unions within the Narayanganj Sadar upazila.