Toxic gas leak in Adabor kills 1, several hospitalised

A man was killed and several others fell ill after being exposed to toxic gas released from the leakage of gas cylinders near the capital's Adabar Beribadh area in the capital today (11 June).

The deceased was identified as Kabir Hossain, 45, son of late Shafiullah Majhi from Sonapur village of Laxmipur's Ramganj upazila.

According to Kabir's cousin Ruhul Amin, the 45-year-old suddenly fell unconscious in the early hours of today. He was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where the on-duty doctor in the emergency department declared him dead upon arrival.

Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Md Masud of the DMCH Police outpost confirmed the incident to The Business Standard, citing the duty doctor.

He said the body has been kept in the morgue of the hospital's emergency department and that the concerned police station has been notified about the incident.

According to locals, the gas allegedly began leaking around 3am while workers at a scrap shop were breaking gas cylinders. The toxic gas caused several people sleeping in nearby tin shed houses under Shyamoli Housing II project to fall ill. They were promptly rushed to Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College & Hospital (SSMCH) and Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

SSMCH Director Dr Md Shafiur Rahman confirmed the matter and said 14 patients were brought to the hospital. Nine of them were discharged after treatment, while five remain admitted.

Dr Shafiur added that the attending doctors suspect the patients were poisoned by carbon monoxide gas.

Adabar police station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mahbubur Rahman visited the scene this afternoon.

"The situation here is now calm. Those who fell ill are receiving treatment at the hospital. I have been informed about one death. The CID has been notified to determine the type of gas in the cylinder."
All workers from the scrap shop have fled, but efforts to locate them are ongoing, he added.