50 hurt in gas cylinder explosion

At least 50 people, mostly passengers, were injured as a gas cylinder of a bus exploded in Palashbari upazila in Gaibandha district on Monday night. Locals said many passengers managed to get down from the CNG-run bus as soon as its gas cylinder exploded on Dhaka-Rangpur Highway in the BRAC area. At least 50 suffered burns as the fire spread before they could get down, they added. According to witness' account, when the Dhaka-bound bus of 'Saikot Paribahan' coming from Gangachara of Rangpur district, reached the area at about 9:30 pm, the cylinder exploded with a big bang, leaving at least 50 passengers inured. However, police claimed that the number of burn injuries may be around 28 as many passengers got down before the fire spread. An unidentified number of passengers were injured, some of them seriously, as they tried to get down hurriedlyfrom the burning bus, they said. Informed, firefighters from Gaibandha rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. The injured were rushed to a local hospital. The bus was badly damaged in the explosion, according to a news agency.