Three of a family suffer burns in city

Three of a family, including a child, sustained burn injuries in a fire at their tin-shed house in Dhaka's Mohammadpur area early yesterday.

The injured are Md Sohel (35), his wife Laboni Akter (25) and their son Morsalin (2).

They are undergoing treatment at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. Their condition is critical.

Neighbours rescued them after hearing their screams when the fire originated around 2:45am at Nobodoy Housing area. Fire officials suspected that the fire started from a burning mosquito coil in a room where gas accumulated from a leak.

Rupa Akter, a neighbor of the victims said, "As we rushed to the spot hearing their screams, we saw the couple on fire, trying to douse it, standing in front of the house.

"They managed to come out of their room but their son was still inside. Fire officials later rescued him,"  she added.

Mahfuz Riben, duty officer of Fire Service Control Room, said the fire was doused immediately before they reached to the spot.

"Initially, we came to know that gas accumulated in the house from a leak and the fire originated as the family tried to burn a mosquito coil at night," he said.

Investigation is needed to confirm the actual cause of the fire, he added.

Hospital sources said Sohel, a day labourer, had burns on 75 percent of his body, laboni had 30 percent while their son was fighting for life with 80 percent burn injuries.