Blast at Narayanganj mosque: 1 dead, 40 suffer burns
A man was killed while around 40 others suffered burn injuries as the air conditioners of a mosque exploded during Esha prayers in Fatullah of Narayanganj on Friday night, reports news agency UNB.
Locals said the incident took place around 8:40pm at Baitus Salat Mosque in the area when the devotees were saying their prayers.
An air conditioner went off and sparked a fire inside the mosque. Later, the remaining six ACs exploded there, creating panic among the devotees.
Around 40 devotees sustained burn injuries in the incident.
Abdullah Arefin, deputy assistant director of Narayanganj Fire Service, said firefighters rushed to the spot, rescued the injured and sent them to hospital.
Abdullah Arefin further said they suspect that there is a gas pipeline beneath the mosque. They saw bubbles of gas when they were sprinkling water to douse the fire at the mosque
He also said that there was a leakage in the gas line in front of the mosque. It is suspected that the explosion was caused by a spark when someone pressed the electrical switch.
Abdullah Arefin further said they suspect that there is a gas pipeline beneath the mosque. They saw bubbles of gas when they were sprinkling water to douse the fire at the mosque.
Narayanganj civil surgeon Imtiaj said the injured were first taken to Narayanganj General Hospital. Of them, 20 were later sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in critical condition.
DMCH police outpost inspector Bachchu Miya of said a total of 37 injured, including the Imam and Muajjin of the mosque, were brought to the hospital from Narayanganj.
Nazmul Hossain, a physician at the emergency unit of Narayanganj Hospital, said they referred the injured to the DMCH after providing first aid due to their critical condition.
“Some of them suffered 99 per cent burn injuries,” the physician added.
Later, one of those referred to a Dhaka hospital -- Abdul Hannan, 55, secretary of the managing committee of the mosque -- succumbed to his injuries on the way.
A relative of the deceased confirmed the information.
A probe body has been formed to find out why the air conditioners all exploded at almost the same time.
Brig general Md Shajjad Hossain, director general of Fire Service and Civil Defense, said the body headed by Fire Service Director (operations) lieutenant colonel Mohammad Jillu, will look into the incident.