A person, who received severe burns after a fire broke out from a leaking gas pipe at Masterbari Bazar under Shreepur upazila and gutted a nearby market, has succumbed to his injuries on Friday morning.
The deceased Anwar Hossain, 38, an electrician, and resident of Moura village under Dohar upazila of Dhaka district, received burns along with a number of people.
Of the injured, the condition of village doctor Mostafa Zaman and trader Nayan was stated to be critical. They have been admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital Burn Unit with repeatedly 80% and 40% burns.
Besides, RMG worker Nasir and his wife Shima are also taking treatment at a local hospital with severe burns.
The fire has broken out from a leaking gas pipe at Masterbari Bazar area around 7pm while Infratech Construction Company that is working to expand the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway, was digging holes near the highway.
The fire soon engulfed the adjacent Hawkers Market, gutted more than 50 shops, one masque and some houses and injured a number of people, said local business leader Abdur Rab.
The injured were rushed to different local hospitals and clinics. Later, Anwar, Mostafa and Nayan have been shifted to DMCH as their condition deteriorated.
Anwar succumbed to his injuries at the burn unit of DMCH around 6am while undergoing treatment, Mouna Highway police station Sub-Inspector Saiful Islam.
He said following the death of the youth, locals barricaded the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and vandalised some 10 vehicles around 7am.
Later, they removed the barricade around 9am as the high-ups of local administration assured them to compensate the victims within three working days.
General Manager of Infratech Construction Company Alok Barua said: “The family members of the deceased, the victims and the affected businessmen will get compensation. The company will bear the expanse of treatment of the injured.
It will also build a mosque in the area,” he added.
The fire broke out on Thursday evening, halting traffic movement on the adjoining Dhaka-Mymensingh highway for about three hours.
Fire fighters managed to control the flame after an hour’s effort around 8pm.
The vehicular movement on the highway became normal around 10pm.