Five members of the same family, including three young children, sustained severe burns in a devastating gas explosion in Dhaka’s Badda area early Saturday morning.
The incident occurred around 12:30am at a residence in Aftabnagar. The victims were rushed to the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in critical condition, said Dr. Shawon Bin Rahman, resident surgeon at the hospital’s emergency department.
The injured have been identified as Md Tofazzal Hossain (45), his wife Mansura Akter (35), and their daughters Tanisha (11), Mithila (7), and Tanzila (4).
According to Dr. Rahman, Tofazzal has suffered burns over 80 percent of his body, Mansura 68 percent, Tanisha 30 percent, Mithila 60 percent, and Tanzila 66 percent. "Their injuries are extensive, and all are in critical condition," he said.
A relative of the family, speaking at the hospital, said they were living in a rented ground-floor flat. Recently, road construction had damaged nearby gas lines, resulting in a persistent leak.
"It appears that the leaked gas accumulated inside the house over time. Late at night, someone may have ignited a flame—possibly a cigarette—which triggered the explosion. The blast was so powerful that a wall of the house collapsed," the relative said.
Authorities are investigating the incident.
