Man dies, 5 injured in Ashulia septic tank ‘explosion’

Preliminary investigation suggests the blast was caused by gas build-up in the septic tank, an official says

A man has died and at least five others, including several tenants, suffered injuries after a septic tank at a house in Dhaka’s Ashulia exploded while being cleaned.

The incident occurred at the house of Md Rahmat Ullah in Ashulia’s Vadail Dakshinpara area around 2am on Saturday, according to Pranab Chowdhury, senior station officer of the EPZ Fire Service.

The dead man has been identified as 50-year-old Golam Rabbani, the caretaker of the house.

House cleaner Iman Ali, 45, tenants Faria Begum Ratna, 45, Sonia Akter, 35, Ishrat Jahan Riya, 18, and Md Rohan, 7, were injured in the incident.

Among them, Iman’s condition is critical, according to police.

Citing local residents, the Fire Service said that a group of people was brought in to clean the septic tank at the house that night. After cleaning one of the two adjacent septic tanks, an explosion occurred while the second one was being cleaned.

The impact of the blast blew the tank's lid off, which then smashed through the tin roof of the house, and also caused the floor and part of the walls to collapse.

Rabbani died at the scene. The injured were subsequently rescued and sent to various hospitals.

Pranab said, "It is initially suspected that the explosion was caused by gas accumulated in the septic tank."

Sub-Inspector Nazrul Islam of Ashulia Police Station said that police attended the scene upon receiving the news and recovered the deceased’s body.