12 still hospitalised after building explosion on Dhaka’s Mirpur Road

Eight of the hospitalised are in critical condition, doctors say

Six people injured in an explosion at a building on Dhaka’s Mirpur Road on Sunday are still in critical condition at the Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute.

Four victims admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital are not out of danger yet. However, two other victims at the Popular Hospital are doing fairly well, doctors say.

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. The explosion rocked the area as the building near Sukonna Tower partially collapsed. The building caught fire immediately after the explosion.

Police investigators say an air conditioner on the second floor exploded in an accident.

Many of the injured were taken to the nearby Popular Hospital after the blast. Some received first aid there before being transferred to other hospitals.

Six victims, named Nur Nabi, Akbar Ali, Ashrafuzaman, Asha, Habibur Rahman, and Zuhur Ali, were brought to the Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute.

All of them suffered burns to their airways and are in critical condition, said Dr Samanta Lal Sen, a consultant at the institute.

“None of the victims admitted here are out of danger,” he said. “They have major burns, inhalation burns. They are all in critical condition. They have burns on 28 to 40 percent of their bodies. Anyone who has burns on over 15 percent of their body is at risk. They will be transferred to the ICU if necessary.”

Eight victims of the fire were initially brought to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Four of them received treatment and were released. The four others are still undergoing treatment at the hospital, according to Dr Md Alauddin, a resident working in the Emergency Department.

“All of them came in with injuries to their head and other parts of their body. Two of the four admitted to the hospital are in critical condition. One of them is in the ICU and the other is in the HDU.”

Md Abul Khaer, a spokesman for Popular Hospital, said that two victims of the blast were admitted to the hospital.

“One of them has a cut on the arm, while the other fractured the hip and cracked the skull. But neither of them is in danger.”