5 madrasah students burnt in gas fire after electrical spark in Narayanganj

Five female students were burnt after an electrical spark reportedly ignited leaking gas on the roof of a madrasah in Fatullah of Narayanganj Sadar upazila yesterday (27 September).

The incident occurred at around 5:30pm at Mahela Khatun Girls' madrasah in the Hajipara area of Kashipur.

The injured students were identified as Zidni, 14, Lamia, 14, Mariam, 12, Atia, 11, and Achia, 10. They have all been admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka.

According to hospital reports, Zidni suffered burns to 82% of her body, while Lamia suffered burns to 55% and Atia 45%.

Two other injured students, Sumaiya and Ayesha, suffered burns to 13% and 7% of their bodies, respectively.

Sultan Mahmud, a resident physician at the institute, said five students were receiving treatment after being burnt while playing on the roof of a madrasah in Narayanganj.

"Three of them are in critical condition," he said.

Abdullah Al Arifin, deputy assistant director of Narayanganj Fire Service, said the students were playing on the roof of the three-storey madrasah building when the incident occurred.

"We suspect that a spark from a 3,000-volt electrical wire beside the roof ignited gas leaking from a gas riser below. Two incidents occurred simultaneously, resulting in five students being burnt," he said.

Madrasah director Mufti Abdur Rahman said several students were playing on the roof in the afternoon and were carrying sugarcane.

"Possibly, the sugarcane came into contact with the electrical wire, causing a spark that ignited the gas from the riser below. We immediately sent them to hospital," he said.