Four workers suffered burn injuries after a gas explosion while allegedly installing an illegal Titas gas connection in Fatullah of Narayanganj late Monday night.
One of the injured, Ariful Islam, 35, sustained burns to nearly 65 per cent of his body and was shifted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka in critical condition.
The remaining three workers received treatment for minor injuries.
The incident took place around 12:30am on Tuesday in front of a house owned by Delwar Hossain at Chitashal No. 1 Lane in Kutubpur Union of Fatullah.
Ariful, a resident of Latabar village in Kaliganj upazila of Rangpur, was staying at a rented house near Delpara Bazar in Fatullah.
Locals said an agreement had reportedly been reached to install an unauthorised gas connection at Delwar’s house for Tk17,000, with Tk2,000 paid as an advance.
Later, a group of workers allegedly started cutting the road at night and connecting a pipeline to the gas line with the help of a local gas contractor.
The explosion occurred while the workers were attempting to connect the pipeline, causing burn injuries to four of them.
Abdul Jalil, a sanitary worker, said three of the injured workers were treated locally as their injuries were not severe. Ariful was taken to the burn institute due to the extent of his injuries.
Following the incident, police from Fatullah Model Police Station visited the spot.
Officer-in-Charge Mahbub Alam said police had inspected the site after receiving the information and that the incident was being investigated.
