Five factory workers including a pre-teen were burnt as a heater exploded in a coil factory in Panchabati area of Bhairab upazila in Kishoreganj district on Friday afternoon.

The victims were identified as-- Morshed Sheikh, 65, Md Deen Islam, 65 , Md Masum Uddin, 50, Md Shahin Mia, 25, and Md Abdur Rahman, 11.

Being informed, firefighters from three units of Bhairab Bazar and Bhairab Nadi Ghat Fire Service and Civil Defence rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control after three hours of frantic efforts, Bhairab Nadi Ghat Fire Service Officer Moqbul Hossain told journalists.

The firefighters rescued the critically wounded victims and sent them to a local hospital immediately.

"Along with the severe injured persons, some other workers were burnt while trying to put out the fire," he said, adding that the extent damages due to the fire yet to be known.

The doctors of the Emergency Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) said the patients, sustained up to 15- 40 percent burns on their bodies, are in critical conditions as their tracheals are affected due to the fire.
 
According to the factory workers and locals, the coil heater suddenly overheated and exploded on Friday afternoon while the victims were working beside it.

After the incident, the wounded were taken to a local hospital, but later they were shifted to DMCH as their condition worsened, they added.