Narayanganj mosque blast: 2 more victims die; death toll now 31

Two more persons, who suffered severe burns in the blast at a Narayanganj mosque, died at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka this afternoon.

The deceased were identified as Nazrul Islam (50) and Sheikh Farid (21). Of them, Nazrul died around 4:00pm while Farid passed away around 4:45pm, said Dr Partha Shankar Pal, resident surgeon at the institute.

With them, 31 people have so far died from the tragic incident while the condition of the others admitted at the hospital remains critical.

Another victim died at the institute in the morning.

Abdus Sattar (40) breathed his last around 9:30am while receiving treatment with more than 70 percent burns, Dr Samanta Lal Sen, coordinator of the burn institute, told The Daily Star.

The explosion happened at Pashchim Talla Baitus Salat Mosque around 8:45pm after Esha prayers on Friday, September 4.

Fire officials suspect that the explosion was caused due to an accumulation of leaked gas from an underground Titas Gas pipeline that somehow came in contact with an electric spark.

Titas Gas has suspended eight of its officials and staffers in connection with the blast. During digging, officials noticed two holes in an underground gas pipe adjacent to the mosque.