Gas explosion in Uttara injures 10 including woman, children

At least 10 members of a family, including two children and a pregnant woman, sustained burn injuries after a gas leak triggered an explosion in a residential building in Uttara.

The explosion took place on the second floor of a building in Sector 10’s on Kabarstan Road in Kamarpara area around dawn on Friday (March 6).

The injured were rescued and admitted to the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery for treatment.

The injured 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, Enayet’s wife Delera, 28, their son Junaed, 10, Enayet’s younger brother Habib, 30, niece Ayesha, 19 and another relative named Rubel, 35.

However, the fire had already been extinguished by residents before firefighters arrived.

According to relatives and local sources, the building owned by Abul Kalam. Ride-sharing driver Rubel lived there with his family. Enayet had recently returned from Dubai and was visiting with his family from their home in Shibchar upazila of Madaripur.

Sajed Matabbar, a resident of the building’s fourth floor, said a loud blast was heard at dawn. “When we came downstairs, the walls of the ground and second floors were damaged and everyone inside the room had suffered burns,” he said.

Resident Surgeon Dr. Shawon Bin Rahman of the burn institute said Sonia Akter suffered 100 per cent burns, while Enayet sustained 45 per cent burns. Others suffered injuries ranging from 7 to 32 per cent. Patients with critical burns have been shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU), while the others remain under observation.

Fire Service duty officer Rozina Akter said two units were dispatched to the scene after receiving reports of the explosion.