Staff Reporter:
Sayma Akter, the last surviving victim of a gas explosion in Narayanganj’s Fatullah, died at a Dhaka hospital on Friday, taking the death toll from the blast to five.
Sayma, 32, died around 8:40am while undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, hospital sources said.
Her husband Kalam, 45, son Munna, 12, and daughters Munni, 10, and Kotha, seven, had earlier succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment at the institute.
Munna and Munni died on Thursday, Kotha on Wednesday and Kalam on Monday.
The explosion occurred around 6:55am on May 10 at a ground-floor flat of an eight-storey building in Uttar Bhuigar of Fatullah in Narayanganj Sadar upazila, leaving all five family members critically injured.
According to Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence, gas had accumulated inside the closed room due to a leak in a gas line adjacent to the kitchen. The explosion is believed to have occurred when a lighter was ignited.
Kalam had suffered burns on 95% of his body and Sayma 60%, while their three children sustained burns ranging from 30% to 52%.
