Two killed, one injured in Ctg cylinder blast

Two workers were killed and another was injured severely in a cylinder blast at an oxygen-filling shop in Nasirabad area in Chattogram city yesterday morning.

The deceased were identified as Mohammad Jabed, 30, and Prabir Kumar Das, 60, said Assistant Sub-inspector Alauddin Talukdar at Chattogram Medical College Hospital (CMCH) police outpost.

Injured Nur Osman, 28, was undergoing treatment at CMCH burn unit, he said, adding that the accident took place at Siraj Anu Oxygen Limited under Khulshi Police Station around 7:30am.

An employee of the shop, preferring anonymity, told this correspondent at the accident spot that a fire broke out as a cylinder blasted when it was being filled up, leaving Jabed dead on the spot and two others injured critically.

He also said they extinguished the fire instantly and rushed the three victims to the hospital.

Dr Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, assistant professor at CMCH burn unit, said Pabitra died after an hour of being brought to the hospital. He sustained 35 percent burns and severe inhalation injuries.

Osman sustained 10 percent burns, and is under observation, said the doctor.

Visiting the spot, Fire Service and Civil Defence officials told The Daily Star that there was not any personal protection equipment (PPE) in the shop. The walls of the shop were made of bricks instead of reinforced cement concrete (RCC), as required for such shops.

Jashim Uddin, assistant director of the fire department, said they would issue a show-cause notice to the shop owner, asking about the absence of safety measure.

The Daily Star could not contact the owner of the shop.

Sub-inspector Uttam Chakraborty at Khulshi Police Station said the bodies were taken to CMCH morgue for post-mortem. No case was filed regarding this till filing of the report at 3:30pm.