3 killed in Science Lab bldg blast

Staff Reporter :
At least three people were killed and 15 others injured in a fire that broke out following an explosion at a multi-storied building in the city’s Science Lab area on Sunday (March 5) morning.
The deceased have been identified as Shafikuzzaman, Abdul Mannan and Tusar.
Of the injured, three were identified as Khairul, Hannan and Payel.
According to sources, the fire originated on the third floor of the building at 10:50 am. On information, four firefighting units rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control at 11:13 am.
Ikram Ali Mia, Officer-in-charge (OC) of Dhanmondi Police Station, confirmed the matter to the media saying that the victims were taken to hospitals for autopsy and they could not be identified immediately, the OC said.
DMCH police outpost in-charge Md Bachchu Miah said that about 8 injured people have been rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) and five to Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery for the treatment.
Shahjahan Sikder, officer (media cell) at Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defence said four units of firefighters are working to bring the blaze under control. A portion of the building partially collapsed following the explosion, he added.
However, after the incident, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Khandker Golam Faruq said the incident of explosion in Science Lab area that partially collapsed building and claimed three lives was not an act of sabotage but an accident. He said, “No evidence of sabotage was found on the spot and the explosion might have occurred for different reasons. The law enforcement agencies are investigating over the issue.”
DMP Commissioner said this while talking to the reporters after visiting the spot on Sunday (March 5) noon.
He further said, “We’ll form a committee to probe the explosion and the probe body will take opinions from fire service officials and experts and submit a report.”
On the other hand, the Bomb Disposal Unit of the Police’s Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit (CTTC) believes that the Science Lab explosion could be a similar incident to the Moghbazar gas explosion in the capital.
Rahmat Ullah Chowdhury, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADC) of DMP and Head of Bomb Disposal Unit of CTTC said this after visiting the site of Science lab explosion on Sunday afternoon (March 5).
Meanwhile, according to the expert team of the army, no signs of explosives were found in the explosion on the third floor of Shireen Mansion of Science Lab in the capital. On Sunday (March 5) afternoon, the chief commanding officer of the expert team, Major Md. Kaiser Bari said this. Major Kaiser Bari said, “We have initially carried out tests on the spot with explosive detection devices. After initial observation we feel that the blast was not caused by explosives. If any explosive material was used in the blast, we could sense it through our device.”
Earlier on 28 June of 2021, at least six people were killed and 50 others injured in the blast that took place at the building on Outer Circular Road in Moghbazar.