Another Narayanganj gas fire victim dies, taking death toll to 3

Rupali, who suffered burns on 34 percent of her body, succumbs to her wounds

A woman who suffered severe burns in a fire sparked by a gas leak in Narayanganj’s Siddhirganj has succumbed to her injuries. It brings the death toll in the incident to three.

The latest victim, identified by a single name as Rupali, 20, died during treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery around 5:45am on Sunday, according to Dr Shawon Bin Rahman, resident surgeon at the institute's emergency department.

She had suffered burns on 34 of her body.

Earlier, Rupali's 18-month-old child Sumaiya died from burns during treatment at the institute on Saturday. Her husband Sohag, 23, remains hospitalised.

Another victim, 40-year-old Hannan, succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of Saturday. He had suffered burns on 45 of his body.

The fire broke out around 2:30am on Mar 3 in a tin-roofed house owned by Ibrahim Khalil in the Paschim Dhankunda area.

Eight people from two families suffered severe burns in the incident.

Those currently hospitalised include Hannan's wife and garment worker Nurjahan Akhter Lucky, 30, their daughters Jannat, 3, and Samia, 9, son Sabbir, 16, along with Sohag.

The victims were all rushed to the burn institute with serious injuries following the incident.

According to doctors, Sabbir has burns on 27 percent of his body, Lucky on 22 percent, Samia on 7 percent, Jannat on 3 percent, Rupali on 34 percent, and Sohag on 40 percent.

Dr Nasir Uddin from the institute said that six of the victims had suffered airway burns, putting them in critical condition.

Abdullah Al Arefin, deputy assistant director of Narayanganj Fire Service and Civil Defence, said that a gas line ran beneath the two-room tin-roofed house. A leakage likely caused gas to accumulate inside and a spark ignited the trapped gas, causing an explosion that triggered the fire.

Everyone was asleep when the fire broke out. They were burnt before they even had a chance to escape, said Anwar, brother of victim Lucky.