Explosion at Narayanganj house was caused by gas leakage: Police

The explosion that left two injured at a house in Narayanganj was caused by gas leakage, police said after finding no traces of explosives.

Security personnel including local police, Rapid Action Battalion or RAB and a bomb disposal unit inspected the building where the blast took place around 3am Friday.

"Bomb experts have found no traces of explosives at the scene. We believe it was an accident caused by gas leakage," Superintendent of Police Mainul Hoque told bdnews24.com.

Two-storey building 'Comilla House 2' at Rupganj's Borab Graveyard Road has been badly damaged in the explosion.

The owner Abul Khayer is an expatriate living in Kuwait for 25 years. He has recently returned to Dhaka to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with his family.

Two of the building's walls collapsed and landed on a tin-roofed house next to it, while a fire broke out inside.

Ibrahim, 22, and his brother-in law Aynal Hoque, 26, have been burnt in the fire. They have been admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Ibrahim is a son of the building's owner.

Tajul Islam, who owns the tin-roofed house, said: "The walls broke and fell on the room of my tenant Rubina. Her family has been very distressed."

Fire service personnel put out the blaze. Police and RAB personnel cordoned off the house while a bomb disposal unit made their way to Narayanganj from capital Dhaka.

Abul Khayer, the house's caretaker Shariful Islam and his wife Nargis Begum were questioned.

"The law enforcing agencies have done their investigation. I urged them to find out the real cause. They told me that it was accumulated gas that caused the explosion. I am satisfied with their findings," Khayer told reporters.

A committee headed by Additional Superintendent of Police Mostafizur Rahman is due to submit a probe report on the incident within five working days.

RAB-11 Commander Lt Col Kamrul Hasan has visited the scene after the blast caused panic among residents with one day left before Eid celebrations.