Couple suffers critical burns in Savar gas leak fire

A young couple sustained severe burn injuries after a fire, suspected to have been caused by a gas leak, broke out at their rented house in Savar early Friday when they attempted to light a mosquito coil.

The victims were identified as Kaisar, 28, and his wife Ruby Begum, 24. The couple, originally from Matopara village in Goalanda upazila of Rajbari, had been living in the Majidpur Dighirpar area of Savar.

According to Kaisar’s father Md Siman Sheikh, the couple lived on the ground floor of a two-storey building owned by Nur Mohammad in the area. Both were employed at garment factories.

He said the fire broke out shortly after 12:00am when the couple struck a match to light a mosquito coil, apparently igniting accumulated gas inside the room.

The fire quickly engulfed the room, leaving both of them critically injured.

Neighbours broke open the door, rescued the couple and took them to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in the capital at around 2:50am.

Dr Shawon Bin Rahman, resident surgeon at the institute, said Kaisar suffered burns to 100 percent of his body, while Ruby sustained burns to 80 percent of her body.

Both victims are in critical condition and receiving treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), he added.