Ashulia gas cylinder blast: Death toll at 2, several in critical condition
Two of the 11 victims who sustained burn injuries in a gas cylinder blast and subsequent fire at a home in Dhaka's Ashulia last Friday died while undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (NIBPH) early today (16 February).
Dr Shaon Bin Rahman, resident medical officer at the NIBPS, confirmed The Business Standard that Shiuli Akhtar, 25, who had suffered 95% burns on her body during the fire on Friday night (14 February), passed away at 3:25am.
Conditions of seven other injured were also critical, he said.
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Later in the day, Sumon Mia, 32, who suffered 99% burns on his body, passed away at around 12:35pm, confirmed Dr Shaon.
The fire occurred when the gas cylinder in the kitchen exploded inside a flat while family members were making rice cakes (pitha) in the Gomail area of Ashulia. The victims included four children.
Hearing a big bang, neighbours rushed to the spot and took the injured first to Ashulia Women and Children's Hospital. They were all shifted to NIBPS in the capital after they received first aid there.
Apart from Shiuli and Sumon, the other victims are Surjo Banu, 55, Zahura Begum, 70, Md Monir Hossain, 43, Sohel Rana, 38, Sharmin, 25, Samin Mahmud, 15, Mahadi, 7, Soaid, 4, and Suraha, 3.
Talking to reporters, Sohel said his brother Sumon lived in the rented flat on the first floor with his wife and children. On Friday evening, he went to Sumon's home with his family and other relatives on the occasion of holy Shab-e-Barat.
He said the gas cylinder exploded when the family members were making rice cakes. The entire flat was engulfed in flames very quickly, leaving the 11 people inside the home with various degrees of burns.
