National

Death toll from Ctg gas explosion rises to five

Two more burn victims from a gas explosion at a house in Halishahar of Chattogram city have died, raising the death toll from the incident to five. The condition of the remaining four injured victims is also critical, doctors said.

Md Sakhawat Hossain, 46, and Ashura Akter Pakhi, 35, died on Tuesday night (February 24) while undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka.

Doctors said both victims had suffered 100 per cent burns. The four survivors have sustained severe burn injuries over large portions of their bodies and are being treated under close observation.

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, Samir Ahmed Sumon, 40, died from his injuries. On Monday, Nurjahan Akter Rani, 40, and her son Shawon, 16, also died while undergoing treatment.

The incident occurred early Monday morning when accumulated gas in a kitchen exploded in an apartment on the third floor of a six-storey building named Halima Manzil, located adjacent to AC Mosque in H Block of Halishahar. Nine members of the same family were burnt in the explosion.