5 of a family burnt in gas explosion in Old Dhaka

A devastating gas explosion in Sutrapur, Old Dhaka, on Friday (July 11) left a husband, wife, and their three children critically injured with severe burns.

The incident took place at a residence in the Kajitola area in the early hours today.

The victims have been identified as Ripon, 35, his wife Chandni, 28, and their children — Rokon, 14, Tamim, 22, and Ayesha, 1. All five were rushed to the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, where on-duty doctors have described their condition as critical.

Dr Shaon Bin, resident physician at the institute, confirmed the details, saying: "Five members of the same family were brought in with serious burn injuries following a gas explosion. Ripon and Rokon each sustained 60% burns, Tamim 42%, Chandni 45%, and one-year-old Ayesha has suffered 63% burns. All are currently being treated in the High Dependency Unit (HDU)."

Preliminary investigations suggest that accumulated gas may have ignited when someone attempted to light a stove or switch on an electrical device. Authorities are continuing to investigate the exact cause of the explosion.