20 dead in Bangladesh's masjid explosion

A total of 20 worshippers including a boy died after air conditioners of a masjid burst Friday night in Bangladesh's central Narayanganj district, about 20 km from the capital Dhaka.

The burst of the air conditioners is believed to have occurred due to a faulty gas line.

Samanta Lal Sen, coordinator of the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka, told journalists on Saturday night that "20 people have so far died after being admitted to the institute with major burns on their bodies."

Of the victims, he said, 19 succumbed to their injuries Saturday and one died Friday night.

A total of 37 injured people were rushed to the institute on Friday night after the explosion.

Most of the victims suffered from 60 percent to 70 percent burns, and the condition of several other patients is still critical, said Sen.

Fire officials suspected a gas leak in the pipe line leading to the accident when the worshippers were about to leave the masjid after their Isha (night) prayers at around 9:00 p.m. local time on Friday.

All the air-conditioners on the ground floor burst into flames when there were reportedly around 100 worshippers at the three-storey masjid.

Shafiqul Islam, officer-in-charge of Fatullah Police Station in Narayanganj, said huge blasts caused window glasses of the masjid flying onto the street and burnt ceiling fans, wires and electric switch boards.

Kamrul Ahsan, a control room official at the fire service headquarters in Dhaka, said firemen managed to bring the flames under control after hectic efforts of around half an hour.

The Bangladesh Fire Service and Civil Defense formed a committee to investigate the incident.

Abdullah Al Arefin, assistant director of Narayanganj Fire Service and Civil Defence, told journalists that a gas pipe line has gone through the bottom of the masjid.

"We're investigating whether gas accumulated inside the masjid from a leak in the pipeline and triggered the explosion and the subsequent fire when all the masjid doors and windows were closed for air conditioners."