3 burnt as manhole explodes in capital

Three friends enjoying a day out in Hatirjheel suffered burns, when a manhole close to where they were sitting “exploded.”

It happened on the west side of the Hatirjheel Metropolitan Bridge on Wednesday afternoon.

The injured were identified as Siam, 18, Al Kabid, 22, and Farhad Akash, 21, confirmed Sub-Inspector (SI) Aminul Islam, who led the team rescuing the three youths.

They are currently undergoing treatment at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, where a doctor on duty told UNB in the evening that they each have 5-15 % burns on their bodies. 

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Manhole explosions have been reported in the United States and China. In both the countries they are said to be common in certain places, or during certain times of the year.

In China they usually occur when methane released from the sewers catch fire. In the US, they are said to be usually caused by electrical fires in underground cabling.

In Bangladesh they seem to be rarer, or less reported anyway, with sporadic incidents from Jatrabari, Indira Road reported in the last two years.