A man was killed, and another suffered burn injuries in an explosion at a building in Old Dhaka’s Bangshal area early today.
The deceased was identified as Delwar Hossain, 35, a resident of Sharsha upazila in Jashore. The injured, Nazmul Hossain, 33, is Delwar’s cousin.
The incident took place around 4:30am at a four-storey building opposite Churiwala Panchayet Graveyard in Mukim Bazar.
Delwar owned a motorcycle repair shop beside Mukim Bazar Mosque. Nazmul also worked there.
Tushar Islam Rifat, an employee at the motorcycle garage, said Delwar lived in a rented flat on the third floor of the building, while the ground floor was used as a warehouse for his business materials.
A gas cylinder kept in the warehouse exploded, triggering the first blast, he said.
Hearing the explosion, Delwar and Nazmul came down from their flat to see what had happened. At that moment, another explosion sparked a fire, trapping both of them inside.
Locals managed to rescue Nazmul, but Delwar remained trapped. Firefighters later extinguished the blaze and recovered his body.
Tushar said the building owner lives on the first floor and that the cooking gas cylinder used by the owner’s family had been kept on the ground floor, where it reportedly exploded.
Inspector Md Faruk, in-charge of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital police camp, said Delwar’s body has been kept at the hospital morgue.
Nazmul was admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
Bangshal police are investigating the incident, added the police official.