The death toll from explosion in air-conditioners at a Narayanganj mosque on Friday night rises to 17.
According to the doctors at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, the death toll jumped to 17 with the death of one Rasel, 34, at about 5:00pm on Saturday.
They said 20 more patients with multiple burn injuries are undergoing treatment at the institute.
Dr Samanta Lal Sen, coordinator of Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, also confirmed the matter on Saturday afternoon.
The institute residential medical officer Dr Partha Sankar Pal said that at least 13 died from their injuries till Saturday afternoon and 22 more were in a critical condition.
The deceased were identified as Muazzin Delwar Hossain, Jewel, Ibrahim, Delwar, Mostafa Kamal, Sabbir, Junayed, Hamayun Kabir, Rifat, Kuddus Bepari, Nayan, Kanchan Howlader, Joynal Abedin, Mainuddin and Jamal.
At least 40 people were injured in the gas explosion at Baitus Salat Jame Masjid in Paschim Talla area under Fatulla police station in Narayanganj.
Most of them were admitted to Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute, fire service officials said.
Narayanganj fire service deputy assistant director Abdullah Al Arefin said that the explosion took place at about 9:00pm from gas leakage.
He said that the mosque was two-storied and a gas line was in the underground of the mosque.
There was a leak in the gas line and the ground-floor of the mosque was filled with leaked gas, he said.
Just before isha prayers, someone tried to switch on the fan when the explosion occurred, he said, adding that six air-conditioners in the room also exploded leaving at least 40 injured with burns.
Four units of fire service rushed to the spot and put out the fire in about 20 minutes, Arefin said.
Fire service ambulances carried some 37 burn victims to Dhaka and Narayanganj hospitals, he added.
SZA
