Twelve worshippers including a boy died and dozens others suffered serious burn injuries after air conditioners of a mosque burst on Friday night in Bangladesh’s central Narayanganj district, an official said on Saturday morning.
Samanta Lal Sen, coordinator of Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka, said, “12 people had died till Saturday morning after being admitted to the institute with major burns on their bodies.”
He said that at least 37 injured were rushed to the institute on Friday night. Most of the victims suffered from 60 to 70% burns, and the health condition of 25 others is critical.
Fire officials suspected a gas leak when worshippers were about to leave the mosque after their Isha (night) prayers at around 9pm (local time) on Friday.
All eight air-conditioners on the ground floor burst into flames when there were reportedly around 100 worshippers at the three-storey mosque.
Shafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Fatullah police station in Narayanganj, said, “Huge blasts caused window glasses of the mosque fly onto the street and burnt ceiling fans, wires and electric switchboards.”
The Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence formed a committee to investigate the incident.
