At least 35 people were injured in a gas cylinder explosion at a house in the Kaliakair area of Gazipur on Wednesday evening.
The identity of 32 injured have been confirmed so far.
The incident took place in a shanty town of Shafiqul Islam Shafiq in Kaliakair around 6pm on Wednesday.
Gazipur Fire Service Deputy Director Abdullah Al Arifin confirmed the information.
He said that there was a gas cylinder explosion in a colony next to Top Star garment factory in Telirchala area of Kaliakair. At least 35 people were reported to have been burnt.
Locals said a cooking gas cylinder started leaking at a house in the colony. The resident brought the cylinder to his main door and threw it out on the road, leading to the explosion.
Ayub Ali, the duty officer of Konabari fire station, said that there is a fire extinguishing team of the fire service at the spot. When the gas cylinder leaked, Shafiq threw the gas cylinder on the road of the colony.
Ashraf Hossain, team leader of Konabari fire service, said that he went to the spot after receiving the news but did not find anyone.
“However, I heard that many people were injured, including 13 people with burns. They were rescued and sent to the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka,” he added.
Konabari Clinic and Diagnostic Centre Manager Rafiqul Islam said that three burn patients came before Iftar and were sent to the burn institute.
Konabari Popular Hospital staff Zahid Hasan said that more than 10 patients came with cylinder gas explosion burns. All of them suffered 70% burns. Later, they were sent to the burn institute by ambulance from the gate.
Residents of the Telirchala area said that the owner of the colony Shafiqul Islam purchased a gas cylinder for his residence. Subsequently, upon connecting the cylinder to the stove, gas leakage occurred. In response, he hastily threw the cylinder onto the street, leading to an explosion triggered by the nearby fire from a clay stove.
As a result, around 30 to 35 individuals on the street suffered burns. Nearby residents promptly intervened, rescuing the injured and transporting them to various hospitals for initial treatment before transferring them to Dhaka.
Dhaka Medical College Hospital Police Camp Inspector Bachchu Mia said that 30 people were brought to the hospital with burns due to gas cylinder explosion in Gazipur.