At least 13 people, including eight members of a family, sustained severe burn injuries in two separate gas cylinder explosions in Brahmanbaria and Dhaka city.
In Brahmanbaria's Sarail upazila, a family of eight, including three children, received burns in the explosion around 8pm yesterday.
The injured family members are Abul Kalam, 30, Shiuly Begum, 30, Jarina Begum, 30, Ekhlas Mia, 20, Ibrahim Mia, 17, Abdur Rahman Ratan, 9, Taslima, 7, and Yamin, 6.
Abul Kalam, Ratan, Ibrahim, and Yamin are undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). Of them, Abul Kalam is in critical condition, said Partha Shankar Paul, DMCH burn unit resident surgeon.
Brahmanbaria Fire Service Station Officer Md Kabirul Islam said: “The incident took place in the upazila’s Kuttaparha village around 8pm yesterday due to a pipeline leak in a cooking gas cylinder at Shiuly Begum's home.
“We suspect the kitchen was already full of gas from the leak, and the fire occurred when Shiuly tried to light the stove in the kitchen to cook dinner.”
Meanwhile, a gas cylinder blast at the capital's Kadamtali area caused five workers of an iron melting factory to be severely injured. The workers are Billal, 25, Enamul, 28, Mizanur Rahman, 29, Mujibur Rahman, 27, and Rubal, 26.
Dhaka Fire Service control room official Palash Chandra Modak said the blast took place at Halim molding workshop yesterday around 4pm after the hydraulic well-cylinder suddenly exploded.
The factory workers sustained burn injures in the fire and were later taken to the hospital.
All of the labourers are also being treated at DMCH. Of them, Billal, Enamul, and Mizanur are in critical condition, said Dr Paul.
Mujibur sustained head injuries with minor burn injuries. Rubel too received minor burn injuries, the doctor added.
The blast was so great that it damaged the whole tin-shed room, the control room official said, adding that they were investigating why the cylinder had exploded.
Kadamtali Duty officer Saleh Ahmed said the blast took place at a house near Shyampur Balurmath area. Police are investigating whether the fire was a case of arson.
