10 of a family suffer burns in Turag house fire after suspected gas line explosion
Fire Service and police officials suspect the fire was triggered when gas leaking from a pipeline came into contact with a source of ignition, causing an explosion and subsequent blaze.
Ten members of the same family, including two children and a pregnant woman, sustained burn injuries after a suspected gas line explosion triggered a fire at a residential building in Turag, Dhaka, today (6 March).
The incident occurred at a house in Sector 10 of Kamarpara area at dawn. The injured were rescued and admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in the capital.
The victims were identified as Rubel, 30, his pregnant wife Sonia Akter, 25, their daughter Roza,3, Sonia's elder sister Ria, 27, Rubel's cousin Enayet, 32, who recently returned from Dubai, his wife Delara, 28, their son Junaed, 10, Enayet's younger brother Habib, 30, niece Ayesha, 19, and another relative Rubel, 35.
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According to relatives and local sources, the explosion occurred on the second floor of a building owned by Abul Kalam beside the Member Bari on Kabarstan Road in the Kamarpara Sector 10 area. Ride-sharing driver Rubel lived on the second floor with his family. His cousin Enayet had recently returned from Dubai and came from his village to visit Rubel with his family. Their home is in Shibchar upazila of Madaripur.
Sajed Matbar, who lives on the fourth floor of the same building, said, "After hearing a loud bang at dawn, I rushed downstairs and saw that the walls of the ground floor and second floor had been damaged. All 10 people inside the apartment were burned. They were quickly rescued and taken to the hospital."
Dr Shawon Bin Rahman, resident surgeon at the emergency department of the National Burn Institute, confirmed the condition of the victims.
He said Sonia Akter suffered burns over 100% of her body. Enayet Ali sustained 45% burns, Ria Akter 32%, Rubel 32%, child Roza 18%, Junaed 24%, Delara Khatun 14%, Rubel 7%, Habib 19%, and Ayesha Akter 12%.
Dr Shawon added that those with severe burn injuries had been moved to the intensive care unit (ICU), while the others were currently under observation and may also be shifted to the ICU if necessary.
Rozina Akter, duty officer at the Fire Service control room, said two units were dispatched to the scene immediately after receiving reports of the explosion.
However, residents had already managed to extinguish the fire before firefighters arrived.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the explosion may have been caused by a leak in a gas line or a gas geyser, she added.
