Two days after a cylinder blast at the Preeti Group premises in Savar, signs of the explosion remain visible across the surrounding area, with residents still fearing further accidents.
About 50 feet from the blast site, a circular hole was visible on the roof of a four-storey building under construction. Steel rods had been bent and sections of concrete had broken away.
Around 300 yards away, a piece of metal had pierced the wall of a second-floor room in a two-storey building, leaving two large holes.
The explosion occurred around 6:45pm on Sunday while CNG cylinders stored in lorries and covered vans were being unloaded at the Preeti Group parking area.
The blast sent cylinders and metal debris flying into the factory building and nearby homes, shops and other structures, causing extensive damage.
Residents remain traumatized
A visit to the area on Tuesday found many residents still shaken by the blast.
Nazma Begum, a housewife, was at home with her daughter when the explosion occurred. A piece of metal pierced the wall of a second-floor room in her house, causing cracks and two large holes.
“I was at home when I suddenly felt the building shake. When I entered the room, I saw furniture and bricks scattered everywhere. I was terrified and took my daughter downstairs,” she said.
“I built this house only recently. Who will take responsibility for this damage?”
About 50 yards from the blast site, three cylinders landed on the house of Ainul Mir, damaging and crushing parts of its tin roof.
“I was at a shop some distance away. After hearing about the fire, I came home and saw a cylinder on the roof. My room was also damaged,” he said.
Another affected resident, Mohammad Ayub Khan, said the cylinders had been covered with black cloth but were still at the site, causing anxiety among residents and shopkeepers.
“Covering the cylinders with black cloth is not a permanent solution. They need to be removed quickly and the area made safe,” he said.
Truck driver Omar Sultan, 38, lost two toes in the explosion. He had arrived from a CNG filling station in Dhaka carrying cylinders.
“At least 25 trucks were waiting there at the time. I was injured in the blast,” he said.
Mizanur Rahman, who was several hundred yards from the site, was also injured by a piece of a cylinder. His father, Abdur Halim, 60, said the debris struck his son.
Mohammad Anis, who runs a computer-composing shop in a nearby market, said the explosion shattered the glass at his shop and damaged its partition.
“Cylinders came flying towards my shop. I was extremely frightened for my safety,” he said.
“Glass at many nearby shops was also shattered, and several people were injured by the broken glass. I was not hit, but I am still afraid to stay here in such an unsafe situation.”
Saddam Hossain, who runs a shoe shop in the area, said the cylinders remained at the site despite the incident.
“When the explosion happened, the heat from the fire spread into my shop and knocked me backwards. I somehow managed to get out. When I returned about an hour and a half later, I saw the condition of my shop,” he said.
“Even after such a major incident, the cylinders are still there. Those responsible need to investigate the matter properly and take action.”
Asaduzzaman Akash Mia, president of local volunteer organization “Kashful”, said the blast was so powerful that he feared for his life.
“I was on the road and thought I might not survive. The sound could be heard from far away, including Nabinagar. My house is right beside the site, and I saw someone die in front of me,” he said.
He called for compensation for the families of those killed and injured, as well as residents whose homes and businesses were damaged.
Expired cylinders found at site
During a visit to the site on Tuesday, an unexploded cylinder was found near the blast area bearing the words: “Do not use after 2020”.
Several cylinders marked “Do not use after 2021” were also seen in the area on Monday.
Ashulia Circle Assistant Commissioner (Land) Mohammad Mahibullah Akon said the matter had come to the authorities’ attention.
“The cylinder was not supposed to be used after 2021, but it was still being used,” he said.
He added that Fire Service and Civil Defence officials would determine what the information printed on the cylinder indicated about its condition and contents.
‘Transporting cylinders in covered vans illegal’
Mehedi Islam Khan, assistant inspector of explosives (Dhaka) at the Department of Explosives, said transporting gas cylinders in covered vans or lorries in this manner was illegal and highly risky.
“No law or regulation in the country permits gas cylinders to be transported in covered vans or lorries in this way,” he said.
Professor Dr Hasan Mohammad Mostafa Afroz of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET) said poor compliance with safety guidelines was a major factor behind such incidents in Bangladesh.
He said cylinders needed to be inspected regularly to ensure they remained fit for use, particularly as corrosion could increase over time.
“Even if a cylinder is manufactured according to safety standards, it needs to be inspected periodically. The use of old cylinders also creates risks,” he said.
He warned that welding defects or gas leaks could cause explosions if the gas came into contact with an ignition source.
“During an explosion, metal fragments from the cylinder can hit people and damage nearby buildings,” he said.
He also stressed the need for regular third-party inspections and greater awareness among users.
Multiple probes, police case
The Fire Service and Civil Defence and BGMEA have formed separate committees to investigate the incident, while Ashulia police have filed a case.
Ashulia police Sub-Inspector Abu Taleb filed the case on Tuesday.
Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Tariqul Islam said the case accused those responsible at the factory of causing an explosion through the improper use of flammable substances.
Six people were named in the case, while 10-12 unidentified people were also accused. Police declined to disclose the names in the interest of the investigation.
Mohammad Shahabuddin, senior station officer of Zirabo Modern Fire Station, said the Fire Service had quickly brought the blaze under control despite the risk of a major gas explosion.
A four-member departmental committee has been formed to determine the cause of the incident and assess the damage, he said.
Fire Service and Civil Defence Deputy Assistant Director of Dhaka Zone-4 Hafizur Rahman said officials had yet to determine whether expired cylinders were involved.
“However, our preliminary assessment is that the explosion may have been caused by exposure to fire or expired cylinders,” he said.
A separate four-member Fire Service committee, headed by Dhaka divisional Assistant Director Kazi Nazmul Zaman, has also been formed.
BGMEA Vice President Mohammad Rezwan Selim said the cylinders were being brought by truck because of a severe shortage of piped gas at the factory.
“Most of those killed were truck drivers. BGMEA has formed a committee to investigate the incident,” he said.
Savar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Saiful Islam said the administration regularly receives complaints concerning the use of gas and other fuels in industrial facilities.
He said action would be taken against CNG stations or businesses involved in illegal gas refilling and sales, and urged residents to report irregularities.
The upazila administration has provided Tk25,000 to each family of the deceased, while the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments will also provide assistance, he said.
Four factories remain closed
Four Preeti Group factories remained closed on Tuesday for the second consecutive day following the blast.
Ashulia Industrial Police-1 Superintendent Mohammad Mominul Islam Bhuiyan said windows and doors of the factory buildings had been damaged by the explosion.
Meanwhile, the Ashulia units of Bangladesh Sramik Kalyan Federation and Bangladesh Garment Workers Trade Union Federation held a human chain and rally outside the factory on Tuesday, demanding justice and compensation.
They called for compensation for those killed and injured, medical treatment for the injured, improved working conditions and stronger workplace safety measures.
Death toll reaches 8
Authorities said eight people were killed and at least 26 injured or burned in the explosion.
Zainab Begum, 55, who was standing near a tailoring shop close to the site, was killed shortly after the blast.
After the fire was brought under control, one body was recovered from inside the covered van, three from underneath it and another from nearby, bringing the initial death toll to six.
Three injured people were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where two later died, raising the death toll to eight.
