KUET student dies in gas pipe blast

A student of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET) was killed and three others suffered burn injuries as a newly connected gas line exploded in a building in Mymensingh's Bhaluka early yesterday. 

The victim, Towhidul Islam, 24, of Bogra, was a master's student of Department of Textile Engineering.

The injured are Shaheen Mia, 24, of Sirajganj, Hafizur Rahman, 25, of Naogaon, and Dipto Sarker, 24, of Magura. They were classmates of Towhidul.

Quoting locals, Raihanul Islam, additional superintendent of police (Gafargaon circle) in Mymensingh, said the four students on March 10 rented a flat on the third floor of six-storey AS Tower in Square Masterbari area for doing their internships at Square Fashions Ltd.

“Around 1:00am, the gas line in the flat might have exploded with huge sound,” said the police official.

On information, police and firefighters rushed to the spot and started an operation to rescue the victims.

Of the injured, Hafiz and Dipto were first admitted to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital (MMCH) and Shaheen was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH). Later, Hafiz and Dipto were moved to the DMCH as their condition deteriorated, police said.

Shaheen sustained around 80 percent burns, while the two others suffered around 45 percent burns, said the ASP, quoting doctors at the hospitals.

Police recovered Towhidul's body and sent it to the MMCH morgue for an autopsy.

A bomb disposal unit from Dhaka reached the spot soon after the incident and examined the spot, but they did not turn up any evidence of explosive materials, the ASP added.

The four students used to stay in two rooms on the third floor of the building and they were sleeping when the incident happened, said Lt Col Md Shariful Islam, commanding officer of Rab-14.

The rooms were damaged severely, and the wall between the rooms also collapsed, said the Rab official. 

Divisional Commissioner of Mymensingh GM Saleh Uddin, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Mymensingh range) Nibash Chandra Majhi and Superintendent of Police in Mymensingh Syed Nurul Islam, among others, visited the spot. 

Meanwhile, a six-member committee, headed by additional district magistrate of Mymensingh, has been formed to investigate the incident and asked to submit its report within three working days.