DHAKA — An eight-year-old child has succumbed to severe burn injuries at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka following a catastrophic domestic flash fire caused by a gas leak in Narayanganj.

The young victim, identified as Maruf, passed away at approximately 12:00 pm on Saturday while receiving critical medical care. Dr Shaon Bin Rahman, a resident physician at the institute, confirmed the child’s passing.

Spark Triggers Flash Fire in Closed Residence

The fatal incident occurred at roughly 7:30 am on Friday inside a corrugated iron tin-roofed house in the Kuripara Chapatali area of Bandar upazila, Narayanganj. According to eyewitness statements from neighbours and surviving relatives, gas had leaked undetected overnight from a faulty connection or stove valve, filling the enclosed home.

The explosion occurred when a match was struck to ignite a cigarette, triggering an instantaneous explosion and engulfing the interior in flames before the family could react.

Maruf, alongside his 24-year-old father Maidul and 24-year-old mother Beauty, suffered extensive thermal trauma. Alerted by loud cries for help and smoke emerging from the dwelling, nearby residents rushed to put out the fire and rescue the trapped family. All three were transported to the specialized burn facility in the capital for emergency treatment.

Critical Status of Surviving Parents

Medical evaluations performed upon arrival highlighted the devastating extent of the injuries. Doctors noted that young Maruf had sustained deep burns covering 90 per cent of his body, rendering recovery attempts unsuccessful despite intensive care efforts.

The child’s parents remain hospitalized in extremely critical condition, fighting for survival in the intensive care unit:

• Maidul (24, Father): Suffering from deep thermal burns covering 85 per cent of his body surface area.

• Beauty (24, Mother): Suffering from severe burns affecting 80 per cent of her body.

Attending physicians confirmed that both surviving parents remain under strict medical surveillance due to severe respiratory damage and high susceptibility to systemic infections.

Defective pipeline connections, unserviced gas cylinders, and deteriorated rubber fittings continue to present persistent fire hazards across residential neighbourhoods in industrial districts like Narayanganj. In poorly ventilated structures, undetected gas accumulation frequently turns everyday actions into severe household hazards.