12 dead in a gas explosion in a mosque in Bangladesh
At least 12 people were killed in a suspected explosion caused by a gas leak inside a mosque in Bangladesh, while dozens were seriously injured, police announced today.
Worshipers were performing prayers on Friday evening when the explosion caused a fire in the mosque in the Narayanganj area, according to emergency services.
Investigators suspect that a spark from an air conditioner, which has restarted after power cuts to it, caused the gas to ignite.
The head of the fire department in Narayanganj Abdullah Al-Arefin confirmed that "a gas leaked into the mosque."
He added, "When they closed the windows and doors and turned on the air conditioners, an electric spark occurred that caused an explosion inside the mosque."
The 12 victims are among 37 people who were transferred in critical condition to a specialized burn hospital in Dhaka, according to the hospital spokesperson, Sementa La Sen.
He added that everyone had sustained burns of 70 to 80 percent.
Police said at least 45 people were injured in the blast and that people reported inhaling the smell of leaked gas.
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