Four of a family burnt in 'AC blast' fire

Four members of a family sustained severe burn injuries in a fire originated after the air-conditioner of their flat had exploded in the capital's Kanthalbagan on Monday.

The victims are Moniruzzaman Liton, 42, his wife Maria Ferdous, 27, their daughter Laiva, 9, and their nine-month old son Livan. Moniruzzaman is known to be a magician.

They are undergoing treatment at the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

DMCH physicians said Moniruzzaman's condition is critical as 50 per cent of his body has been burnt and admitted at the intensive care unit (ICU).

Moniruzzaman's wife Maria sustained 27 per cent, Laiva 17 per cent and Livan 7 per cent burn injuries respectively, said Partha Shankar Paul, resident surgeon at DMCH's burn unit.

According to fire service and hospital authorities, the explosion occurred in an apartment in Kathalbagan around 5:15am and the injured were immediately rushed to the DMCH.

Fire service officer Raihanul Ashraf said, they assumed that an electric short-circuit caused the fire in the flat through the AC. The fire didn't last very long, he added.

However, the AC did not explode. The windows or doors would have been smashed if an explosion had occurred, he also said.