Death toll rises to 17 in Gazipur gas cylinder blast

The death toll in the Gazipur gas cylinder explosion rose to seventeen as another person succumbed to his burn injuries at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery (SHNIBPS) early Saturday.

The deceased was identified as Kuddus Khan, son of Md Suruj Ali of Kaliganj upazila in Lalmonihat. 

He used to live at Kaliakair upazila in Gazipur. 

Dr Md Tariqul Islam, Resident Physician of the SHNIBPS, said Kuddus, who suffered 80 per cent burns, breathed his last around 4:30am while undergoing treatment at the Intensive Care Unit of the burn unit.

Earlier, the victims who died at the burn unit were identified as Solayman Mollah, Monsur Ali, Taiba, Ariful Islam, Mohidul, Nargis Khatun, Jahirul Islam, Motaleb, Solayman, Rabbi, Tawhid, Yeasin Arafat, Moshiur Rahman, Kamala Khatun, Nadim and Lalon. 

On March 13, at least 35 people, including women and children, were injured in a gas cylinder explosion at Telirchala area Kaliakair upazila of Gazipur. Thirty-two of them were admitted to the SHNIBPS in a critical condition. 

Locals said a cooking gas cylinder started leaking at a house of one Shafik Khan in the area. Later, he brought the cylinder to the main door and threw it out on the road, leading to the explosion.