Bangladesh: 15 dead in an office building explosion

Medical sources said that at least 15 people were killed on Tuesday and about 100 others were injured in an explosion in an office building in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka.

The blast hit the fourth and fifth floors of a seven-storey building in the bustling commercial district of Golestan shortly before 5 pm local time (11 am GMT).

“At least 15 people were killed, including two women,” said Nazmul Islam, director of the Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He added that more than 100 people were taken to hospital for treatment after head injuries or broken bones.

France Press agency

A fire department spokesman said there were no fires in the building, but more than 150 firefighters were on the scene to help with rescue operations.

A man wearing a bloodstained shirt said he was injured in the blast, which shattered windows and damaged a wall of a building.

France Press agency

There were people lying on the ground. I managed to get out of the window.

France Press agency

The cause of the explosion has not been determined, but fatal fires and explosions in buildings are common in Bangladesh, where safety regulations are often very lax.

Another blast at an oxygen station near the southern port city of Chittagong killed three people on Saturday.