The driver, Md. Rubel, who was injured in the bus cylinder explosion while refilling gas at the Green Leaf Filling Station in Lakshmipur, has also died. The death toll in the incident has risen to two.
Sadar Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdul Monnaf confirmed the matter at around 11am on Wednesday (December 11). Earlier, on October 14, three people were killed when an explosion occurred while refilling gas cylinders in another bus at the same filling station.
The deceased, Rubel, was the son of Shahab Uddin of Charsita village in Zamindarhat area of Charbadam union in Ramgati upazila and the driver of the Al Medina bus that met with the accident. The other deceased, Kalam, was the son of Zakir Hossain of Sahapur area of Laxmipur municipality and a painter by profession.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rajiv Kumar Sarkar and District Superintendent of Police (SP) Akhtar Hossain visited the scene of the bus cylinder explosion around 11:30 am. The DC has assured the formation of an investigation committee into the incident and financial assistance to the victims.
It is learned that Rubel was seriously injured when a bus cylinder exploded while refilling gas at a filling station in Islam Market area of Lakshmipur municipality in the early morning. He later died on the way to Dhaka for better treatment. In addition, a painter named Abul Kalam (21) was killed on the spot due to his skull being blown off in the explosion. At the same time, Abul Hossain (50), a resident of Kabir Hat area of Noakhali, and Naeem from Sahapur area of Lakshmipur municipality were injured. The injured were sent to Noakhali Hospital by the duty doctor of Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital.
Eyewitnesses and police said that at the time of the incident, a local bus named Al Madina (Chatt Metto-Jh 11-1930) was refilling gas at the Green Leaf CNG filling station. Suddenly, an explosion occurred and the gas cylinder of the bus was torn apart. At that time, smoke filled the area. Kalam's skull was blown off on the spot and he died. People around, CNG auto-rickshaw drivers and filling station employees started running after the explosion. Later, with the help of locals, fire service personnel rescued the body of the deceased and the injured in a bloody state and admitted them to the hospital.
Charbadam Union Parishad member Main Uddin said, "Rubel died in a cylinder explosion in Lakshmipur. I heard that his body has been brought home."
Al Amin, manager of Green Leaf CNG filling station, said the bus' cylinder was defective, which caused the explosion.
Sadar Hospital's on-duty doctor Joynal Abedin said, "One person died after his skull was blown off in the explosion. His body is in the hospital morgue. The injured have serious injuries in different parts of their bodies. One of them was sent to Dhaka and the other two to Noakhali Hospital for advanced treatment. Later, another person died on the way to Dhaka."
Lakshmipur Sadar Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdul Monnaf said, "An explosion has occurred at the same filling station before during gas refilling. That case is still ongoing. Now, two people have been killed and two injured in the explosion. Legal action will be taken after investigating the incident."
