Online Desk  :   A total of 11 people, including women and children, suffered burn injuries in a gas cylinder explosion in Savar, Dhaka, on Friday night. The incident occurred around 9:30 pm in the Gomail area of Ashulia, at the house of Amjad Byapari. The injured are: Surja Banu, 55; Jahura Begum, 70; Md Monir Hossain, 43; Sohel, 38; Suman Mia, 30; Shiuli Akhter, 25; Sharmin, 25; Chamim Mahmud, 15; Mahadi, 7; Swayed, 4; and Suraha, 3. Three of them are reported to be in critical condition.

According to eyewitnesses, Suman, a garment worker, lived on the second floor of the building with his two children. On the night of the incident, his brother Sohel came to visit with his family. They were preparing pitha (traditional cakes) when suddenly the gas cylinder exploded, igniting a fire. A total of 11 people, including women and children, were burnt in the explosion. Locals rescued the victims and rushed them to the Ashulia Women and Children Hospital. From there, they were transferred to the burn unit at Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

Sohel Rana, one of the injured, said, “I went to my brother Suman’s house to visit with my family on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat. While making pithas, the gas cylinder exploded suddenly, and fire engulfed the house in an instant. Our entire family was burned in the fire.” Harun Or Rashid, the duty manager at the hospital, said, “At around 10:30 pm, we received 11 burn victims, including women and children. After providing initial treatment, they were transferred to the burn unit at DMCH.”