Five people were injured as gas cylinder of a CNG-run auto-rickshaw exploded in Bahaddarhat Ek Kilometre area in port city yesterday.

The injured are Md Farid, 40, driver of the auto-rickshaw, and passengers Naznin Akter, 25; her son Mikat, 2; Amena Begum, 40; and Rokeya Begum, 25. All the passengers hail from Raozan.

They came to a community centre in the area to attend a wedding, said Assistant Sub-inspector Alauddin Talukder of Chittagong Medical College Hospital police camp. When the auto-rickshaw reached the place around 1:00pm, its gas cylinder exploded.

Locals rushed the injured to CMCH. They were admitted to Burn and Plastic Surgery Unit of the hospital, he said.