Gas leak explosion in Mirpur injures seven, including a child

A gas leak explosion in a tin-shed house in Mirpur, Dhaka, has left seven people, including a woman and a child, with serious burns.

The victims were rushed to the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute for treatment.

The explosion took place early on Sunday, November 24, at a house located on 16th Road, C-Block, Avenue-5 in Mirpur-11.

The injured people include Abdul Khalil (40), a painter, his wife Ruma Akter (32), their 13-year-old son Hafiz Abdullah, and two young madrasa students, Mohammad (10) and Ismail (4).

Also hurt in the blast were Shahjahan (25) and his wife Swapna Akter Parveen (22), who live in a neighboring house. Both Shahjahan and Swapna work in the garment industry.

Nasima Akter Rupali, Abdul Khalil’s niece, said the family is originally from Char Banglabazar village in Munshiganj.

Khalil, his wife, and their three children rented the house in Mirpur, while Shahjahan and Swapna rented the next door house.

Rupali learned early in the morning that a gas leak had caused the explosion, burning everyone in the house.

They were all quickly taken to the burn institute for treatment.

Shahjahan, one of the burn victims, said they were asleep when the explosion happened around 4 a.m. on Sunday.

He woke up to find flames everywhere, and their clothes were on fire.

They managed to get out of the house on their own.

Shahjahan also explained that there was no gas cylinder in their house, but a gas line runs in front of it.

A few days ago, there had been a fire in the gas line on the street, but locals quickly put it out.

Shahjahan believes that gas from the leaking line had built up inside their home, causing the explosion.

According to Dr. Mohammad Shaon Bin Rahman, a resident doctor at the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute, the burns were severe.

Abdul Khalil suffered burns to 95% of his body, while Abdullah had 38%, Mohammad 35%, Ruma and Ismail both had 20%, and Swapna and Shahjahan had 14% and 6%, respectively.