Pregnant woman dies after Uttara gas explosion leaves 10 burnt

Police believe the blast was caused by a gas leak

A pregnant woman has succumbed to her injuries after a suspected gas leak explosion at a house in Dhaka’s Uttara left 10 people burnt.

The 24-year-old Sonia Akter passed away around 10:15am on Sunday while undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, according to Resident Surgeon Shawon Bin Rahman.

Sonia had suffered burns over 100 percent of her body.

The explosion occurred early Friday on the first floor of a building near Rajjak Member’s house on Bamnartek Koborsthan Road in Kamarpara.

Turag Police suspect the blast originated from a gas cylinder leak.

Sonia’s husband, identified only as Rubel, 27, a ride-sharing motorcyclist, and their 3-year-old daughter, Roja, identified with a single name, are among the nine others currently hospitalised with varying degrees of burns.

The victims include several relatives who had gathered at the apartment for a visit.

Rubel’s cousin Enayet Ali, 30, a Dubai expatriate who recently returned home, had come from their village in Madaripur’s Shibchar with his family to visit Rubel.

Others injured in the incident and being treated at the hospital for burns are Sonia’s sister Riya Akter, Enayet’s son Zunaid, his brother Md Habib and wife Dulara Khatun, and Enayet’s niece Ayesha Akter.