Gas cylinder blast burns 3 in Kamrangirchar

At least three persons, including a mother and her two-year-old son sustained burn injuries supposedly in a gas cylinder blast at Muslimbag area of Kamrangirchar in the capital yesterday.

The injured, Ripa Akter, 20, sustained 10 percent burns on her body and her son Rafsan had 25 percent of his body burnt.

Their neighbour Sharmin Akter, 22, sustained eight percent burn injuries.

Partha Shankar Paul, resident surgeon of Dhaka Medical College Hospital's burn unit, said the baby's condition was critical.

Ripa's father Nannu Miah told The Daily Star that the incident took place at his rented house at around 1:45pm, when he was not home. His daughter and grandson came from their village two months back, for her treatment, Nannu Miah added.

Sharmin had come to talk to Ripa at the time.

Neighbours said they heard sound of a powerful explosion, with the house's metal door coming off the hinges.

Nannu's house caught fire and the three in the house sustained burn injuries, they said, adding that there was a gas cylinder in the house kept for cooking purposes.

Fire service sources said a unit of fire fighters rushed to the spot upon information.