Many recent burn injury patients have survived with great care but the agonies and mental pains still haunt most of them.
30-year Monsur with most parts of his body sustaining burn injuries is one of them still admitted at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery Hospital in the capital.
He was one of the ill-fated ones who had suffered a severe burn injury in a gas cylinder fire incident on Wednesday.
At least 32 people, including children and women, suffered burns in the gas cylinder fire incident in Kaliakair of Gazipur.
Besides Monsur, 25-year Mohidul, 45-year Solaiman Mollah and 48-year Motaleb have suffered extensive burns.
Of the injured, five have been admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU), two are in High Dependency Unit (HDU) and the rest are in different units.
This correspondent met Mohamamd Sajal Mia and Sumiya Akhter during his visit to the hospital. Both were found depressed as both their children —seven-year Tauhid and four-year Tayeba— admitted a ward of the institute. Both of them have suffered maximum burn injuries.
Abul Kashem, a grandfather told the Bangladesh Post that his grandchildren were among the crowd as onlookers after a leaked gas cylinder burst into flames on a tiny lane near their tin-shed house.
The leaked gas suddenly caused a devastating blaze, leaving his innocent grandchildren to burn as victims among several other people.
“Doctors said that their conditions are serious,” he said, adding that a few days ago, he talked with his grandchildren, but it is uncertain whether he will be able to talk to them anymore.
On Wednesday evening, a fire from a gas cylinder leakage at Mouchak Telirchala in Kaliakoir upazila wounded about 36 people, particularly pedestrians.
Shafiq Khan, the owner of the tin-shed house having 17-18 rooms, had brought the gas cylinder and was trying to set up a regulator while gas was already leaking from the nozzle of the cylinder, said some victims’ families.
He, at one point, took the cylinder on the lane in front of the house where something was already being cooked in an oven. Some residents of the house and pedestrians were looking at it while some were passing through the lane.
According to a bulletin from the Health Ministry, five are receiving treatment at the ICU. They are Rabbi, 13, with 90 per cent burn, Md Solaiman, 6, with 80 per cent, Mohidul,25, with 95 per cent, Md Nayeem, 13, with 40 per cent, Md Arif, 40, with 70 per cent.
Other 25 victims are Azizul,24, with 3 per cent burn, Tarek Rahman, 18, with 20 per cent, Moshiur Ali, 22, with 52 per cent, Mst Nargis, 25, with 90 per cent Ramisa, 36, with 3 per cent, Sumon,25, with 25 per cent, Kabir, 30, with 45 per cent, Sadia Khatun, 18, with 5 per cent, Shilpi, 45, with 25 per cent, Sharmin,1, with 10 per cent, Munnaf, 18, with 40 per cent, Monsur,30, with 100 per cent, Rotna, 40, with 1 per cent, Sufia,9, with 10 per cent, Johurul Islam Kuti, 32, with 58 per cent, Naden, 22, with 85 per cent, Yasin Arafat,21, with 85 per cent, Rahima,3, with 10 per cent, Lalon,24, with 40 per cent, Komola Khatun,80, with 80 per cent, Solaiman Mollah,45, with 95 per cent, Niloy,3, with 8 per cent, Nirob,7, with 32 per cent, Kuddus,45, with 80 per cent, and Motaleb,48, with 95 per cent burns.
Talking to reporters at the institute, Health Minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen said that the 32 burn victims are not out of danger.
“The fire burnt the breathing pipes of the patients. The physicians are trying their best for their recovery,” he said.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is enquiring about the burn injured people round-the-clock and she (Prime Minister) informed me that she will bear all expenses of the injured people,” he added.
In the meantime, the Gazipur administration formed a three-member committee to look into the incident.
The committee was asked to place its findings within three days, Gazipur Fire Service and Civil Defence (FSCD) Deputy Director Abdullah Al Arefin told reporters.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kaliakoir Police Station AFM Nasim said that no case was filed and none was detained or arrested in this regard.
“We are looking into it if there was negligence of anybody,” he said, adding that legal action will be taken if negligence is found.