3 killed as building collapses in explosion at Science Lab
Hundreds of people – customers and passers-by – were in the vicinity of the Priyangan Shopping Centre on Mirpur Road in the capital's Science Lab area when a blast rocked the area around 10:45 Sunday morning.
The shockwave of the blast in a three-storey building adjacent the shopping centre could be felt across nearby buildings as the walls of the building's second floor collapsed following the explosion.
When the dust settled, three were found dead and at least 50 hurt in the explosion in the capital that came a day after a blast in an oxygen plant in Chattogram's Sitakundu that claimed six lives.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Lal Miah, a juvenile salon worker on the first floor of the blast-ridden building, told The Business Standard that he was shaving a customer when the blast happened.
"I could only hear a loud sound and felt a shockwave and I ran towards the main road through the narrow stairs. Luckily we the saloon workers and the customers survived without any," Lal Miah narrated how he escaped.
The bodies of the deceased – Shafikuzzaman, Abdul Mannan and Tushar – were taken to the Dhaka Medical College mortuary in the evening. They all were employees of New Generation Co Ltd, a supplier and seller of stationary products.
Md Ashik, son of deceased Abdul Mannan, said, "My father used to work at a stationary shop inside the building. He was 63 years old. He left home today for work around 8-8:30am."
Wife of the deceased Shahida Begum said that Abdul Mannan on Saturday night visited her only daughter's grave at Azimpur, who died around 24 days ago.
"Now he is also dead," Shahida lamented.
Akram Hossain, proprietor of the New Generation Company Limited whose three employees were killed in the blast in an interview with the Business Standard said that he has been complaining of the risky conditions of that market for the last three years.
He said that the building was built some 38 years ago and the conditions are risky.
"The original owner of the market/building lives in the US and his ailing sister lives in an apartment behind the building. I even tried to leave the building in 2021 but decided on promises that it will be renovated," he said.
The owner of the stationary business ruled out any possibilities of gas explosion and told TBS that there was no gas cylinder in his store.
An official from the Bomb Disposal Unit of CTTC told TBS that they confirmed the blast originated from some kind of gas.
"It could be methane gas, which might have formed in the bathroom or even could be any illegal gas line leakage but surely the blast was from some kind of gas formation," the official added.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of the CTTC Bomb Disposal unit Rahmat Ullah said, "We have come to know that the explosion occurred due to the gas accumulated inside the sewerage line of the building."
Meanwhile at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn & Plastic Surgery, families were found waiting for their loved ones who were being treated after sustaining injuries.
Johur Ali, one of the injured, sustained 44% burns while insurance company manager Akbar Ali sustained 37% burns on his body. Another female worker Ayesha Akter also sustained 38% burn injuries on her body.
Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic surgery, resident surgeon Dr SM Ayub Hossain told TBS that they cannot declare anyone out of danger before 48 hours observation.
Dr SM Ayub Hossain also said that a Dhaka university student named Nur Nabi was severely wounded during the blast.
"Nur Nabi sustained severe head injury and his right leg was broken. We have shifted him to the National Neuroscience Hospital. His situation is the most critical among the injured patients," the physician said.
The student, Nur Nabi is a student of Dhaka University Islamic Studies department of 2018-19 session and he is a residential student of Sergeant Zahurul Haque Hall.
