3 of a family suffer burns in gas explosion

Three members of a family suffered severe burn injuries in a suspected gas explosion at their house in Kuripara of Narayanganj’s Bandar upazila yesterday morning.

The injured are Maidul Islam, 24, his wife Beauty Akter, 22, and their eight-year-old son Maruf, fire service officials said.

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They were admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, where all three were reported to be in critical condition.

Quoting neighbours who brought them to the hospital, Dr Shawon Bin Rahman, resident surgeon at the institute’s emergency department, said the explosion occurred around 6:30am when Maidul struck a match to light a cigarette inside the house.

Maidul sustained burns to 85 percent of his body, while Beauty and Maruf suffered burns to 90 percent and 80 percent of their bodies respectively, he said.

Abdullah Al Arefin, deputy assistant director of Narayanganj Fire Service and Civil Defence, said a preliminary inquiry suggested gas had accumulated inside the room due to a leak, triggering the explosion.