Expectant mother, 9 others burnt in Turag ‘gas leak’ fire

At least 10 people, including an expectant mother, sustained burn injuries in an explosion allegedly caused by a gas leak in the capital’s Turag area early on Friday.

The incident occurred around 3:30am on the first floor of a building near Member Bari on Kabarstan Road in Sector 10 of Kamarpara.

The victims are Md Rubel, 30; his pregnant wife Sonia Akter, 25; their daughter Roza, 3; Sonia’s elder sister Ria, 27; Rubel’s cousin Enayet Ali, 32; Enayet’s wife Delera Khatun, 28; their son Junayed, 10; Enayet’s younger brother Habib, 30; Enayet’s niece Ayesha Khatun, 19; and Abu Kalam Rubel, 35.

The injured have been admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, with several reported to be in critical condition.

Surgeon Dr Shawon Bin Rahman of the institute said Sonia suffered 100% burns on her body, while Enayet sustained 85% burns.

Additionally, Rubel suffered 32% burns, Ria 32%, Roza 18%, Delera 14%, Junayed 24%, Habib 19%, Ayesha 12% and Abu Kalam Rubel 7% burns.

He added that several of the victims also sustained injuries to their airways.

Sajed Matubbar, nephew of Enayet, said neighbours heard a loud explosion around 3:30am and found that parts of the ground floor and the first-floor walls of the building had collapsed, leaving all 10 people inside the flat with burn injuries.

Senior Station Officer Alam Hossain of Uttara Fire Station said firefighters rushed to the scene after receiving information about the incident but did not have to take action as the fire had already been extinguished.
“We suspect the explosion occurred due to accumulated gas, which damaged several flats on the second and third floors,” he said.

Meanwhile, a fire broke out at Sofurun Nesa Market in Tongi of Gazipur, burning down at least 15 shops on Thursday night.

Six firefighting units rushed to the site, bringing the blaze under control after about one and a half hours of effort.

According to Fire Service officials and local traders, the market closes after 10pm, and smoke was noticed coming from inside the tin-roofed structure around 10:45pm.

The fire quickly spread across the market.

After receiving the information, four units from Tongi Fire Service first reached the spot and started working to control the fire.

As the intensity of the blaze increased, two more units from Uttara joined the operation.
Traders said at least 15 shops were burnt in the fire, causing extensive losses.

Tongi Fire Service senior official Iqbal Hossain suspects the fire initially originated from an electrical short circuit.

“The exact cause of the fire and the extent of the damage will be confirmed after an investigation,” he said.