Cause of explosion remains unknown even after a month

Even after one month has passed since the incident, the investigation committees formed by the fire service and the district administration have not been able to determine the cause of the explosion in a flat in Halishahar, Chattogram.

The Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company Limited (KGDCL) has submitted its investigation report, which states that the explosion did not result from a gas leak. Although the report outlines possible causes, it does not identify the exact reason.

The explosion and subsequent fire occurred at around 4:30 am on 23 February in a third-floor flat of a six-storey building named Halima Manzil in Halishahar, Chattogram.

Motor parts trader Shakhawat Hossain lived there with his family. Nine people in the flat sustained burn injuries in the explosion, six of whom have died. Three children are currently receiving treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka.

The explosion broke the main doors of at least 15 flats in the building, raising questions about its cause.

Initially, the fire service suspected that accumulated gas from a leaking line in the flat had triggered the explosion.

However, the KGDCL investigation committee has ruled out gas leakage as the cause. Family members have also stated that gas did not cause the explosion.

In addition to the KGDCL inquiry, both the fire service and the district administration formed separate investigation committees.

Authorities instructed both committees to submit their reports within seven working days, but neither has done so yet.

Officials associated with the administration state that KGDCL submitted its report three weeks after the incident, and the other two committees will base their findings on its data and evidence.

A committee led by Mohammad Rafique Khan, deputy general manager of the Northern Distribution Division of KGDCL, submitted its report on 12 March.

The report states that investigators found the kitchen stove, the gas line behind it, the knob and several surrounding items almost intact during their inspection.

Even flammable materials such as bay leaves and plastic items in the kitchen showed no significant signs of damage.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a KGDCL official stated that investigators detected a minor leak in the gas line behind the stove.

However, the presence of two doors, a large window, and sufficient ventilation in the kitchen makes gas accumulation unlikely.

The official added that the intense vibration from the explosion may have caused the leak afterwards. The report concludes that gas leakage was not the primary cause of the explosion.

According to sources from the investigation committee, the flat stored several compressing units for vehicle parts, which contain gas under high pressure.

The occupants also stored certain chemical substances used for vehicle painting. Any of these—faulty electrical connections, chemicals, or mechanical components—could have triggered the fire.

Sources from the fire service investigation committee report that the building lacked critical safety features such as an emergency exit staircase, necessary safety measures, and a fire safety plan.

Investigators also did not find any representative of the building owner at the scene. Authorities have instructed the owner to submit documents related to building approval and safety compliance.

The family has alleged that the building owner’s representatives have not cooperated since the incident.

They claim that workers repaired all doors the day after the incident and locked the flat, and that individuals have been removing evidence from the site.

However, the building caretaker, Md Samrat, has denied these allegations. He stated, “We keep the key because we need to unlock the flat whenever the investigation committee visits. If anyone removes evidence, it will appear on the CCTV.”

Fire safety experts state that investigators must secure (seal) the site immediately after an explosion. If authorities fail to preserve the scene or allow evidence to be tampered with, identifying the true cause becomes difficult.

They emphasise that investigators should have preserved the flat in its original condition, conducted forensic examinations of electrical lines and circuit boards, and collected samples of chemical residues at an early stage.

They also express concern that the authorities have not yet submitted investigation reports even after one month.

When asked, Md Anwar Hossain, assistant director of the Chattogram Divisional fire service, told Prothom Alo, “We have completed our preliminary investigation. We will submit the formal report within a day or two.”

Kamal Uddin, former deputy director (operations) of the fire service, stated that investigators cannot completely rule out gas as a possible cause of the explosion.

He told Prothom Alo that, in such incidents, investigators must examine not only gas lines but also electrical systems and any stored chemicals with equal importance when determining the source of the explosion.