All four people injured in a gas compressor line explosion in Kanchpur, Sonargaon, Narayanganj, have died. The latest victim, Roni Mia, caretaker of the building where the incident occurred, died on Friday morning, 16 October. The other victims were the building’s owner, Sharif Hossain, his wife, Rozina Akter, and her brother, Riaz.
The victims died while receiving treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka. Sultan Mahmud Sikder, a resident surgeon at the institute, confirmed Roni Mia’s death on Friday morning.
According to information provided by the medical team, Riaz died at around 2am on Thursday, 15 October. Sharif Hossain, 34, and his wife, Rozina Akter, 30, died early that morning. Roni Mia was the last of the four victims to succumb to his injuries.
Dr Sultan Mahmud Sikder said approximately 60 per cent of Rozina’s body had been burnt in the explosion, while Sharif and Riaz had sustained burns covering around 40 per cent of their bodies. All three were admitted to hospital in critical condition. Despite receiving treatment in the ICU, none of the four victims survived.
How the explosion occurred
The incident took place at around 1.30am on 10 October in a room on the second floor of Islam Tower, a six-storey building in Sonapur Uttarpara village in Kanchpur, under Sonargaon upazila of Narayanganj. The building is owned by Shah Alam Mia.
According to the initial report, the explosion occurred in a compressor line used to increase gas pressure. The blast left Sharif, his wife Rozina, her brother Riaz and the building’s caretaker, Roni Mia, with severe burns.
They were rescued and taken to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka for treatment. Their conditions were critical, and they were subsequently treated in the intensive care unit. However, all four eventually died from their injuries.
Gas pipeline faults and problems with pressure-boosting equipment can create serious risks, including fires and explosions. Regular inspections, proper maintenance and safety checks of pipelines, connections and associated equipment are essential to reduce the likelihood of such incidents, particularly in residential buildings.
However, no detailed findings have been provided regarding the precise cause of the explosion in Kanchpur. An investigation would be needed to establish how the compressor line exploded and whether any technical fault or safety lapse contributed to the incident.
The deaths of all four victims have highlighted the potentially devastating consequences of accidents involving gas infrastructure. Ensuring the safe installation, operation and maintenance of gas equipment remains crucial to preventing similar tragedies.
