4 burnt in explosion at Narayanganj flat

Four people were burnt in an explosion suspected to be caused by accumulated gas at a flat in Fatullah of Narayanganj Sadar upazila early today.

They were rescued and sent to the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in the capital.

The incident took place around 12:00am today on the fifth floor of a six-storey residential building named Lakshmi Niwas in Hussaini Nagar area.

Officials of the Fire Service and Civil defence believe that the explosion occurred due to the gas that accumulated from a leak in a pipeline.

Two tenants of the house were also injured in the blast, our Narayanganj correspondent reports.

Resident surgeon of the burn institute Tariqul Islam said, "Four people were admitted with burn injuries last night."

Among them, Sabuj Khandokar suffered 55 percent burn injuries, Md Rana 12 percent and Bithi 35 percent, he said, adding that their condition is critical.

"Another person named Rubel suffered minor burns," the doctor added.

Confirming the incident, Fakhruddin Ahmed, deputy assistant director of Narayanganj Fire Service and Civil Defence, said, "Both Titas gas lines and gas cylinders were found inside the damaged flat."

"Initially, it is assumed that the explosion occurred due to accumulated gas inside the house. It can be confirmed after investigation," he said.

"A wall on the west side of the flat collapsed and fell on an adjacent tin-shed house. Besides, doors, windows, furniture and walls of three adjacent flats were also damaged due to the blast," he said.

Anwar Hossain, resident of the adjacent tin-shed house, told The Daily Star, "I live with my elderly father. We both were at work when the incident took place."

Abul Kalam, a tenant of the sixth floor of Lakshmi Niwas, was injured in the blast when he was walking up the stairs. The other injured is also a tenant of the building.