Gas Explosion: 6 of a family suffer burns

A gas explosion took place on Monday night in a residential six-storey building in Chattogram where an identical explosion took place last year killing three.

This time, six people, all tenants of the building in Uttar Kattali ward, suffered serious cases of burns and are now fighting for their lives at the Chattogram Medical College Hospital, drawing attention to the sheer negligence of the landowner.

The injured are Sajida, 40, wife of Jamal Sheikh, and their daughter Mahia , 9, three sons Sunny, 24, Jibon,15, Shadin, 15, and daughter-in-law Dilruba, 19.

The explosion happened when Mahia pressed the button on the handle of the mosquito racket at around 10:30 pm, said fire service, police and experts.

"I was in the toilet when I heard a big bang and the door of the toilet was blown off," said Limon Sheikh, one of Sajida's sons.

Following the huge blast, the main door of the flat, F-2, was blown off. Mattresses of two bedrooms were burnt. On the stairs, victims' burnt clothes were found while visiting the spot.

The eight-member family rented the flat at "Morium Villa" on Community Centre Road of Colonel Jones four months ago for Tk 9,000, Limon said.

After moving into the flat they learnt of the gas accident on November 8 last year. "My father wanted to move out right away but the landlord insisted we stay," he said.

A six-member probe committee formed following last year's incident found the explosion was caused by gas leakage. And yet, the landowner took no steps to arrest gas leakages.

The ventilation system of the flat is very poor and due to the windows staying shut, gas accumulated and triggered the explosion, said Anupam Datta, deputy general manager of Karnaphuli Gas Distribution's engineering department.

Police took in landlord Mamtaz Mia, also the owner of Hotel Saimun in Alongkar Moor area, for interrogation.