A gas pipeline leak triggered an explosion at a house in Kamarpara area of Uttara in the capital, leaving 10 people, including women and children, burned.
The injured were admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka for treatment.
The explosion occurred around 3:30 am on the second floor of a building owned by Abul Kalam beside Member Bari on Kabristan Road in Sector 10 of Turag.
The injured were identified as Rubel, 30, his pregnant wife Sonia Akter, 25, their daughter Roza, 3, and Sonia’s elder sister Ria, 27.
Others injured were Rubel’s cousin Enayet, 32, Enayet’s wife Dulara, 28, their son Junayed, 10, Enayet’s younger brother Habib, 30, Enayet’s niece Ayesha, 19, and another Rubel, 35.
According to sources at the burn unit, Sonia Akter suffered 100 percent burns, Enayet Ali 45 percent, Rubel and Ria Akter 32 percent each, and Junayed 24 percent, while the others sustained burn injuries of varying degrees.
Enayet’s nephew Sazed Matbar, who brought the injured to the hospital, said Rubel and Sonia lived on the second floor of the building.
He said Rubel earns his livelihood through motorcycle ride-sharing services.
Enayet, a Dubai expatriate who recently returned to Bangladesh, had come from Shibchar upazila of Madaripur with his family to visit his cousin Rubel in Turag.
Sazed Matbar, who lives on the fourth floor of the same building, said a loud explosion occurred around 3:30 am.
Residents rushed out after hearing the blast and saw that the ground floor and second floor walls of the building had been damaged, while the 10 people inside the apartment had suffered burn injuries.
They were quickly rescued and taken to hospital.
National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery emergency department resident surgeon Shaon Bin Rahman said 10 burn victims were brought to the hospital after the incident and are undergoing treatment.
