Three Furniture Workers Severely Burnt in Kathalbagan Explosion

Three furniture workers sustained serious burn injuries after a powerful explosion triggered a fire inside a ground-floor room in Dhaka’s Kathalbagan area late on Wednesday night. The victims were rushed to the Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where all three remain under treatment, with one reported to be in critical condition.

The injured have been identified as Md Jewel, 20, his cousin Md Parvez, 21, and Rana Mia. All three are residents of Karimganj in Kishoreganj and work at a furniture shop in the Kathalbagan area.

According to Prothom Alo, the incident occurred in a ground-floor room of a seven-storey building on Free School Street. The room had been rented by Jewel, who lived there with his parents. As his parents had travelled to their village home, Jewel returned to the room after work on Wednesday night with Parvez and Rana.

Furniture shop owner Raji Mia, who accompanied the injured men to hospital, said the explosion occurred at around 11:45 pm. A loud blast was followed almost instantly by a fire, leaving all three occupants with severe burn injuries before they could escape.

Raji Mia said the room had been constructed above a septic tank and that an unusual gas smell had occasionally been noticed in the area. He believes combustible gas may have accumulated inside the enclosed room over time. According to his account, the explosion may have been triggered when the men attempted to light a mosquito coil with a match. The force of the blast reportedly caused part of one wall to collapse and dislodged the cover of the septic tank beneath the room.

Police have also pointed to the possibility of accumulated gas as the likely cause of the explosion, although investigations are continuing.

Officer-in-Charge Md Fazle Ashik of Kalabagan Police Station said the room had remained locked for two days before the occupants entered it on Wednesday night. Preliminary findings suggest that shortly after one of them ignited a lighter, a powerful explosion occurred, immediately followed by flames engulfing the room.

He added that members of the Fire Service had inspected the site and suspected that gas released from the septic tank may have built up beneath or inside the room. Investigators are also examining whether a connection to the building’s gas pipeline may have contributed to the incident. Authorities have not yet reached a final conclusion regarding the exact source of the explosion.

Dhaka Medical College Hospital Police Camp Inspector Md Faruk confirmed the incident and provided an update on the victims’ medical condition, citing hospital physicians. He said Rana Mia suffered burns to approximately 63 per cent of his body and has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, where his condition remains critical. Jewel sustained burns to around 30 per cent of his body, while Parvez suffered burns covering 21 per cent. Both are also in serious condition and are receiving specialised treatment.

The incident has once again drawn attention to the dangers posed by accumulated combustible gases in enclosed spaces, particularly where rooms are built above septic tanks or where underground gas leakage is suspected. Fire safety experts have repeatedly advised that any persistent smell of gas should be reported immediately and that open flames or ignition sources should be avoided until the area has been properly inspected.

Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the precise cause of the explosion and whether any negligence or structural safety failures contributed to the accident.