DHAKA, – The death toll in air conditioner (AC) explosion at a Narayanganj mosque reached 26 after one more died from burn injuries while undergoing treatment at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery till 10am today, an official said.

“A total of 26 people have so far died in Narayanganj mosque’s AC blast with one more fatalities confirmed from their burn wounds,” Residential Surgeon of the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery institute Dr Partha Shankar said.

Bodies of 20 deceased persons have been handed over to their families, he said.

The deceased were identified as – Journalist Nadim, 45, Imam of the Mosque Abdul Malek, 60, Ibrahim, 42, Delowar Hossain, 42, Mostafa Kamal, 35, Sabbir 21, Juel,7, Zubair, 18 , Zunayed ,17, Humayun Kabir ,70, Junayed ,17,Rifat, 18, Kuddus Bepari ,70, Jamal, 40, Rashed, 30, Mainuddin,12, Jaynal, 40, Nayan, 27, Kanchan, 50, Rasel, 34, Bahauddin, 55, Mizan, 34, Shamim Hasan, 45, Julhas, 35, Mohammad Ali, 55 and Abul Bashar 51.

A number of 11 people, who are in critical condition, are now undergoing treatment at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka Medical College Hospital here. Five of the 11 were shifted to the institute’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

At least 50 people suffered severe burn injuries in the AC blast at Pashchim Talla Baitus Salah Mosque in Narayanganj around 8.30 pm on Friday.
Narayanganj Fire Service Deputy Assistant Director Abdullah Al Arefin said a gas pipe line of Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited has gone through the bottom of the mosque.

A leakage in that pipe line accumulated gas inside the mosque which may trigger the AC blast as the amassed gas could not pass because the mosque windows were closed while the AC was on, he added.