Schoolboy injured in gas pipe blast

A schoolboy sustained burn injuries as a fire broke out due to a gas pipeline blast at Khelaghar playground in Tejgaon’s Tejkunipara area yesterday.

Injured Raihan Miah, 13, is a seventh grader of Tejgaon Model High School.

His father Iqbal Hossain said Raihan and some other boys went to the playground after Juma prayers. They saw a spot covered with sand and bricks near the under-construction school gate beside the field.

As Raihan put his leg on the pile, there was a blast and a fire broke out, Iqbal said quoting witnesses.

“My son sustained severe burn injuries. He is now being treated at the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital,” he said.

ASI Abdullah Khan of DMCH police outpost said the boy sustained 40 percent burns.

Lima Khanam, duty officer of Fire Service and Civil Defence, said there was a leak in a pipe of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited. She said two of their units went to the spot and found the leak.

They have informed the matter to the Titas authorities, who are now repairing the pipeline, she added.