Six injured as gas leakage leads to explosion in Narayanganj

At least four people, including a woman and a child, have sustained burns in an explosion presumably caused by a gas leakage in a six-storey building at Kashipur of Narayanganj.

The incident took place around 12:00 am on Sunday in the Hosaini Nagar area of Kashipur.

Those who received burn injuries have been taken to the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka, while two other injured were admitted to the national orthopedic hospital.

According to the police and locals, a powerful blast took place in an apartment on the fifth floor of the building – Lakshmi Nibas – around 12:00 am and sparked a fire there. The wall was blown away in the excessive force of explosion, causing damages to nearby residences.

Later, the locals rushed to the spot, doused the fire, and rescued the injured. Four residents of the apartment, who sustained burn injuries, were initially taken to Narayanganj General Hospital and later shifted to the burn institute in Dhaka, while others were sent to the orthopedic hospital.

Farida Begum, a neighbour, said she got up during the huge blast and saw the walls of the fifth floor collapsing down.

The victims who suffered burns are Sabuj Khandkar, 25, owner of a hosiery factory at Kashipur, Rana Mia, 30, a garment worker; his wife Bithi Akhtar, 18; and their daughter. Besides, local fruit traders Abu Kalam and Zakir Hossain sustained injuries.

Fakhruddin Ahmed, deputy assistant director of Fire Service and Civil Defense, said they spotted a gas cylinder inside the flat. A leakage in its pipe might have resulted in the explosion.