Gas Leak Fire Claims Principal

A tragic fire caused by a leaking gas cylinder in Gazipur’s Sripur upazila has claimed the life of a 50-year-old school principal, who succumbed to severe burn injuries while undergoing treatment at a specialist hospital in Dhaka.

The deceased, Shaheda Ahmed, served as the principal of Oxford International School in Dhaka and was the wife of Professor Jasim Uddin, president of Gazipur High School. She had travelled to her ancestral home in Sripur to spend the Eid holidays with her family when the incident occurred.

According to family accounts, the accident took place on 25 March in the morning while she was cooking at her village residence. A sudden gas leakage from a cylinder triggered an intense blaze in the kitchen, engulfing her within moments. Despite efforts to escape, she sustained critical burn injuries covering approximately 55 per cent of her body.

Family members and neighbours quickly rushed her to Mawa Alhera Hospital, where she received initial emergency treatment. Due to the severity of her condition, doctors referred her to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka for advanced care.

Her condition continued to deteriorate despite intensive medical intervention, and she was placed on life support. After several days of fighting for survival, she passed away on Sunday morning while still under treatment.

Medical experts at the burn institute confirmed that her injuries were extensive and life-threatening from the outset, leaving limited scope for recovery. Her death has left her family, colleagues, and the local community in deep shock.

Authorities have reiterated the importance of gas safety awareness, particularly during holiday periods when many families cook in unfamiliar or older kitchen environments. Preliminary observations suggest that the cylinder leakage was sudden and rapidly escalated into a fire, underscoring the risks associated with faulty or poorly maintained gas equipment.

Incident Overview

The incident has once again drawn attention to the urgent need for regular inspection of gas cylinders and household safety systems, particularly in rural homes where maintenance standards may vary.