Gulistan explosion: At least 15 killed, over 140 hurt

At least 15 people were killed and more than 140 injured in an explosion at a building in Dhaka's Gulistan area this evening. Without providing details, fire officials said the explosion took place around 4:45pm near the BRTC bus counter.

Eleven firefighting units are working at the scene to carry out a rescue operation, said Rashed Bin Khaled, duty officer of the fire service control room.

A five-storey building on the south side of the Gulistan BRTC counter, housing a sanitary shop on the ground floor and Brac Bank office on the remaining floors, and a seven-storey sanitary market building next to it, were affected by the blast. None of the buildings collapsed, he said.

So far, 15 people have died and more than 140 injured have been brought to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said Inspector Bachchu Mia, in-charge of DMCH police outpost. Of the deceased, nine were male and two female.

The cause of the explosion could not be known immediately.