At least 40 people suffered burn injuries as the air conditioners of a mosque exploded during Esha prayers in Fatullah of Narayanganj on Friday night.
Locals said the incident took place around 8:45 pm at Baitus Salam Mosque of the area when the devotees had just finished their prayers.
An air conditioner went off and sparked a fire inside the mosque. Later, all the six ACs exploded there, creating panic among the devotees, reports UNB.
Around 40 devotees received burn injuries in the incident.
Abdullah Al Arefin, deputy assistant director of Narayanganj Fire Service, said firefighters, on information, rushed to the spot, rescued the injured and sent them to hospital.
Dr Imtiaj, civil surgeon of Narayanganj, said the injured were first taken to Narayanganj General Hospital. Of them, 20 were later sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in critical condition.
Meanwhile, inspector Bachchu Mia of DMCH police outpost said a total of 37 injured, including the Imam and Muajjin of the mosque, were taken to the hospital from Narayanganj.
They were receiving treatment at the burn unit of Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn & Plastic Surgery.
Nazmul Hossain, a doctor at the emergency unit of Narayanganj Hospital, said they referred the injured to the DMCH after providing first aid due to their critical condition.
“Some of them suffered 99 percent burn injuries,” the doctor added.
