A fatal explosion involving an oxygen cylinder occurred in the Mazar Gate area of Kumira Union in Sitakunda upazila of Chattogram on Saturday afternoon, resulting in the death of one man and injuries to two others. The incident took place at a scrap shop at approximately 2:30 pm.
The deceased has been identified as Md Arman, originally from Noakhali district. He had been residing in a rented house in the Rajapur area of Kumira Union under Sitakunda upazila. The identities of the two injured individuals have not yet been confirmed.
According to local residents, Arman used to collect discarded iron and other scrap materials from various areas of Sitakunda using a locally operated vehicle known as a bhotbhoti. He would then sell these materials at scrap shops. On the day of the incident, he had collected five oxygen cylinders as part of his scrap collection.
He arrived at a scrap shop in the Mazar Gate area of Kumira Union around 2:30 pm to sell the cylinders. Witness accounts indicate that the cylinders were being unloaded one by one from his vehicle when the explosion occurred. The blast reportedly took place immediately after one of the cylinders fell to the ground during unloading. Md Arman died on the spot as a result of the explosion.
The force of the explosion also caused metal fragments to disperse, injuring two individuals who were standing nearby at the time. Their identities have not been confirmed, and details regarding their condition were not immediately available.
Following the incident, local residents responded to the scene and assisted in the initial response. Law enforcement was subsequently informed.
A police official from Sitakunda Police Station, Inspector (Investigation) Md Alamgir, confirmed the incident. He stated that one person had died and two others were injured in the oxygen cylinder explosion. He also confirmed that police personnel were dispatched to the scene to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Incident Summary
| Category | Details |
| Location | Mazar Gate area, Kumira Union, Sitakunda, Chattogram |
| Time | Approximately 2:30 pm, Saturday |
| Victim | Md Arman (from Noakhali district) |
| Residence | Rented house in Rajapur area, Kumira Union |
| Activity | Scrap collection and sale using bhotbhoti |
| Material involved | Oxygen cylinders (five collected) |
| Fatality | 1 person (Md Arman) |
| Injuries | 2 persons (identities unconfirmed) |
| Incident type | Oxygen cylinder explosion |
| Police response | Police deployed; investigation initiated |
The sequence of events, as described by local sources, indicates that the explosion occurred during the unloading of oxygen cylinders at the scrap shop. One cylinder reportedly detonated upon being dropped, resulting in the immediate fatality of the individual handling the materials and causing injuries to nearby persons due to flying metal debris.
Authorities have initiated an investigation into the incident to determine the exact circumstances under which the cylinder exploded.