Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company authorities have said that the blast at Siddique Bazar in the city was not caused by gas leakage.
"Our findings from the primary investigation indicate that the blast has no connection to any gas leakage," said Titas Gas director (operation) Selim Mia while talking to reporters following the visit of a team of his organisation to the blast site on Wednesday afternoon.
He said the Titas team has not found any presence of gas in the building which was partially damaged after the blast on Tuesday.
He said the team has examined the entire area but found no presence of natural gas.
"There was a gas riser in the building, but it remained intact. Secondly, if there was any gas leakage, it would have led to a fire incident," Selim told reporters.
Earlier, at least 19 people were killed and over 100 others injured in a massive explosion in a 5-storey building near a BRTC bus stop at Siddique Bazar in the Gulistan area of the capital.
Among the injured, 11 people have been undergoing treatment at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.
Three firefighting units resumed the rescue operation around 9am, said Khaleda Yeasmin, duty officer of the Fire Dept. Control Room, around 11am.
A four-member probe body headed by Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, director of the Fire Service and Civil Defense (Operation and maintenance), has been formed to investigate the incident.
The committee has been asked to submit its report within five working days, said Shahjahan Sikder, deputy additional director of the Fire service and Civil Defense headquarters media cell.
