Fatullah gas explosion kills entire family of five

The last surviving victim of the gas explosion in Narayanganj’s Fatullah area has died in hospital, meaning all five members of the same family injured in the blast have now succumbed to their burns.

Sayma Akter, 32, died at around 8:40am on Friday while undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka, hospital sources said. She had suffered burns to 60% of her body and had remained in critical condition since the incident.

Her death followed those of her husband, Md Kalam, 45; their son Munna, 12; and daughters Munni, 10, and Kotha, 7, who had all been receiving treatment at the same institute after the explosion. Munna and Munni died on Thursday, Kotha died on Wednesday, and Kalam died on Monday.

According to doctors, Kalam had sustained burns to 95% of his body, while the children suffered burns ranging from 30% to 52%.

The explosion occurred at about 6:55am on 10 May inside a ground-floor flat of a multi-storey building in the Uttar Bhuigar area of Fatullah in Narayanganj Sadar upazila. Fire officials said gas had accumulated inside a closed room because of a leak in a pipeline beside the kitchen.

The Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence said the blast was believed to have been triggered when a lighter was ignited inside the room.

Dr Shaon bin Rahman, residential surgeon at the burn institute, confirmed the deaths and the extent of the injuries sustained by the victims.

Investigators said the family had been living as tenants in the building owned by Md Shahjahan Mia when the explosion took place, leaving all five members critically injured.