Gas blast during evening prayers at Bangladesh mosque kills 16, burns dozens
- A gas leak near the Baitus Salat Jame Mosque in the central district of Narayanganj is believed to have caused the explosion
- More than 30 people were taken to hospital in critical condition, most with 70 to 80 per cent burns, police said
The explosion, which fire service officials suspect was caused by leakage from the pipeline, occurred on Friday night as Muslim worshippers were about to end their evening prayers at Baitus Salat Jame Masjid in Narayanganj district, nearly 25 kilometres south of the capital Dhaka.
Investigators suspected a spark from an air conditioner – which came on after a power cut – set off the gas.
“Primarily, we are suspecting that gas accumulated from a line beneath the mosque might have caused the explosion,” said Narayanganj fire chief Abdullah Al Arefin. “Leaked gas entered the mosque. When they shut the windows and doors and switched on the air conditioners there was an electricity spark that led to the explosion inside the mosque.”
Six air conditioners inside the mosque also exploded, he said adding that an investigation was launched to determine the reason behind the accident.
Dozens were rushed to Dhaka’s state-run specialised burn and plastic-surgery hospital, most of them with severe burns.
Overnight, 10 people died at the hospital from their burn injuries, said Samanta Lal Sen, coordinator of the burn unit. A 7-year-old boy who had burns on nearly 95 per cent of his body, died hours after he was admitted. The death toll could rise further as many of the injured were in critical condition, Sen said, adding that all had suffered 70 to 80 per cent burns.
Television footage showed relatives of the deceased wailing outside the hospital.
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Police said up to 45 people had been injured by the blast and that people had spoken of smelling a gas leak.
A police bomb disposal unit also collected evidence from the scene to examine the nature of the blast. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.
In Bangladesh, safety regulations are often flouted in construction. Hundreds are killed each year in fires in the nation of 168 million people.
In February last year, an inferno in Dhaka’s old quarter killed 78 people. One month later, 25 people were killed when a blaze engulfed a Dhaka office block.
Additional reporting by Agence France-Presse, DPA
