Nine, Including Women and Children, Burned in Explosion at Chattogram Residence

Nine people, including women and children, sustained burn injuries following an explosion at a house in the Halishahar area of Chattogram city early Monday morning.

The incident occurred around 4:30 a.m. in a third-floor apartment of a six-storey building named Halima Manzil, located near AC Mosque in Block H of Halishahar. According to fire service officials, the explosion was followed by a fire that spread inside the apartment.

Firefighters rushed to the scene after receiving the report and managed to bring the blaze under control after nearly two hours of effort. However, local residents had already rescued the injured victims and taken them to Chattogram Medical College Hospital before emergency crews arrived.

The injured were identified as Shakhawat Hossain (46), Md. Shipon (30), Md. Suman (40), Md. Shawon (17), Md. Anas (7), Md. Aiman (9), Ayesha Akter (4), Pakhi Akter (35), and Rani Akter (40). All nine are receiving treatment at the burn unit of Chattogram Medical College Hospital. Doctors said four of them are in critical condition.

Alamgir Hossain, a divisional assistant station officer of the fire service, said the apartment did not use LPG cylinders but had a pipeline gas connection supplied by Karnaphuli Gas Distribution Company. He suspected that a gas leak from the stove may have caused gas to accumulate in the kitchen, which later ignited and led to the explosion.

A man named Md. Maqbul Hossain, who brought the victims to the hospital and identified himself as a relative, said two brothers’ families normally live in the apartment. Recently, another brother had returned from abroad and was staying there with his family for medical treatment. Members of all three families were injured in the explosion.