Child dies, three others suffer burns in capital

A three-year-old boy died and three of his family members sustained burns after accumulated gas exploded and caused a fire in their house in Dhaka's Bangshal area yesterday morning.

The dead was identified as Mainul Islam. His parents Javed Hossain (30) and Sheuli Akter (25) and sister Jannatul Ferdous (5) were rushed to Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute.

They sustained 37, 17 and 60 percent burns respectively.

Faisalur Rahman, senior station officer of Siddique Bazar Fire Station, said they suspected that gas emitted from a leak in the gas line accumulated in the house on the ground floor at Kasaituli area.

The explosion took place when the accumulated gas somehow came in contact with fire at around 8am, possibly an ignited matchstick, he added.

A portion of a wall collapsed on impact and debris fell on the boy, leaving him dead on the spot, he said.

The three others sustained burns as the fire engulfed the house, fire officials said.

Quoting locals, Faisalur said some workers carried out repair work in the gas line and its riser adjacent to the house yesterday, and a leakage might have developed there.

Idris Ali, sub-inspector of Bangshal Police Station. said they came to know that a gas line leak in an alley caused the fire and they are investigating it.

Javed's aunt Sheuli Begum said he used to work in a bag factory and maintained his family with his meagre income.

The family is worried about bearing the treatment costs of the injured.