At least 18 people were injured in a gas cylinder explosion in the city’s Chankharpool area near the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) on Thursday noon.
The injured have been identified as Shyamal, (30), Ripon (25), Sabbir (23), Parul (25), Shamsur Rahman (35), Shahed (25), Zahir (30), Khokan (45), Aziz (39), and Shushil (25), Mim (6), her mother Moni Begum (40), Swapan (30), Shahidul Haq (42), Rahim Mollah (35), Mokhlesur Rahman (28), Abdur Rahman (32) and Safura Begum (30).Of the injured, 13 have been admitted to the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of DMCH with severe burn injuries. The rest five have been suffering from inhalation and exhalation problem due to the suffocations.
Dr. Iqbal Ahmed, Registrar of the Plastic and Burn Unit of DMCH, said apart from burn injuries, most of them had been suffering from inhalation and exhalation problem as the gas had entered their stomach. “The condition of six of the victims is critical,” he said.
A sub-inspector of Chawkbazar Police Station said, the gas cylinder has been exploded at around 12:30pm at Chankharpool, causing injury to about one and a half dozens of people. Employees of different shops, rickshaw pullers and pedestrians are on the injured list, he said.
Witnesses said that excessive heat might be the reason of the explosion that took place at a gas cylinder selling shop located at Chankharpool. After the incident, gas from the exploded cylinder enveloped the entire area, leaving at least 18 people injured.
Shahzadi Sultana, an official of the Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) Department, said that the fire engines reached the spot on receipt of the information and the local people admitted the injured to the DMCH.
