5 of a family burned in Narayanganj gas explosion

Five members of a family, including three children, suffered burn injuries in an explosion apparently from a gas line leak at Fatullah in Sadar upazila of Narayanganj district on Sunday morning.

The victims were identified as Kalam, 45, his wife Salma, 40, their son Munna, 12, and two daughters – Munni, 10, and Kotha, 7, of Uttar Bhuigar in the Fatullah area.

Quoting locals, the fire service said the explosion occurred at the flat on the ground floor of an eight-storey building, owned by Md Shahjahan, around 6:55 am, leaving five members of the family injured.

The injured were sent to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka.

“Gas accumulated in the closed room due to a leak in the gas line adjacent to the kitchen. We suspect that the explosion occurred instantly when the tenant ignited a lighter in the morning,” said Md Abdullah Al Arefin, deputy assistant director of Narayanganj Fire Service and Civil Defence.

Of the injured, Kalam suffered burns on 95 per cent of his body, while Salma 60 per cent, and the three children 30, 35 and 52 per cent, respectively, according to Shaown Bin Rahman, resident surgeon of the burn institute.