Dhaka police chief says Mirpur Road building explosion appears to be an accident

Nothing relating to explosives were found, says Commissioner Khandaker Golam Faruq

More investigation is needed to find out the cause of the building blast on Mirpur Road, but initially it appears to be an accident, Dhaka police chief Khandker Golam Faruq has said. 

The explosion at the three-floor building near the Science Lab crossing on Sunday morning left at least three people dead and 30 others injured. 

DMP Commissioner Faruq inspected the site as the bomb disposal unit sifted through the debris. 

Nothing akin to explosives or splinters was found, he said. 

The explosion occurred around 10:52 am, rocking the area as the building near Sukonna Tower partially collapsed. The building caught fire immediately after the explosion. 

“We believe that an AC on the second floor exploded,” said Additional Police Commissioner Shahen Shah. 

Khandaker Mohid Uddin, an additional commissioner of the DMP, later said that the building was at risk of collapsing following the explosion, which also damaged a residential building on the east side. 

The Phoenix Insurance Limited office is situated on the third floor of the building. The blast flung chairs, door shutters and furniture from the building into the road while the shockwave shattered the glass door of an office as far as 400 metres away. 

The damaged building also houses clothing stores, a salon and a laundromat. 

Popular Medical College Hospital, which is adjacent to the blast site, was rocked by the explosion, said Rezaul Karim, the hospital’s HR and administration manager. 

Then the injured began to stream in, he said. As many as 30-40 people gathered at the emergency department of the hospital. Some of them had burn injuries, while some had cuts and bruises. 

The dead were the employees of Laira Products housed in the damaged building, said Deputy Commissioner Md Shahidullah of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police. 

They were Shafiquzzaman, 45, of Shariatpur, Abdul Mannan, 65, from Dhaka’s Lalbagh and Tushar, 35, from Narsingdi. 

“Shafiquzzaman and Tushar worked as computer operators. Abdul Mannan was a member of the support staff. Laira’s Area Manager Shahinur Rahman told us that families of the victims were contacted,” the officer said.