Balloon seller killed, 5 hurt in gas cylinder blast

A balloon seller was killed and five others, including three children, were injured as a gas cylinder exploded in Boalkhali upazila of the district yesterday.

The deceased was identified as Zakir Hossain, 40, son of Amir Hamza of Shariatpur district.

Injured Md Sentu, 40, Anwar 22, Sunny, 9, Shakib, 8, and Naimuddin, 8, local residents of the upazila, were admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital.

Eyewitnesses said the explosion occurred when Zakir was pumping gas inside balloons in Pashchim Gomdandi area in the upazila where a four-day-long fair was held on the occasion of the Victory Day.

Jahurul Islam, convener of the fair committee, said all on a sudden, the gas cylinder blasted with a big bang when Zakir was selling balloon at the crowded place around 1:00pm.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Shamim Hossain said an unnatural death case will be filed in this connection.