Explosion kills seven, damages buildings in Dhaka
At least seven people died and dozens were injured in an explosion on Sunday in Bangladesh's capital. But authorities could not determine the explosion's nature that damaged vehicles and surrounding buildings, the police and fire department said. The explosion took place in the evening at a building in Dhaka's Moghbazar area. Rescuers had reached the scene, Faisalur Rahman, a fire control room official, said.
Buildings damaged; injured taken to hospitals: Shafiqul Islam
At least seven buildings were damaged because of the force of the explosion, Rahman said. Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Shafiqul Islam told reporters at least seven people died. The injured were taken to hospitals.
Experts are investigating the cause of the blast: Sajjad Hossain
"Certainly, this is a big explosion. The fire service and bomb disposal unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Counter-Terrorism Unit have arrived at the scene," said Sajjad Hossain, a deputy police commissioner in Dhaka. "Their experts are working together. They are investigating the origin of the blast and the subsequent damages," Hossain added.
It was a scene of destruction: Witnesses
Witnesses said it was a scene of destruction with glass shards and broken concrete on the streets. Two passenger buses were heavily damaged outside the building where the explosion took place, witnesses said. "A fireball went over my head. Everything became dark and smoky with the sound. Pieces of glass started to shower," said Omar Sani, who was at the scene during the explosion.
Buses crashed into one another, one got crumbled
"If I didn't use this (a folder bag) as a cover, I would've been under glass pieces. Allah saved me from them," he added. Then the buses crashed into one another, and one got crumbled. One man got out from that damage. He was in very bad condition. We brought the other injured, he said.
Ten of the injured are reportedly critical
"We found four people including one kid at one place. The kid died from the impact. I brought the kid to the hospital," he said. Dhaka-based Ekattor TV stations said the condition of 10 of the injured was critical, among about 50 taken to hospitals. It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion.
A faulty gas line could be the reason: Reports
However, the main building where the explosion took place had a fast food shop. Reports said a faulty gas line or gas cylinders used by the food shop could be the reason behind the blast.
