Three-and-a-half-year-old Raffia has died from severe burn injuries, two days after her parents succumbed to injuries caused by a gas explosion in their home in Dhaka’s Jatrabari area.

Doctors at the National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute confirmed the child's death early Saturday (12 July). 

She had been receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) since the incident, but did not survive.

“Over 90 percent of her body was burned, including significant damage to her airway,” said Dr Shaon Bin Rahman, resident surgeon at the institute. “Despite being kept in ICU, her condition was critical from the start.”

Raffia’s mother, Ity (30), died on Thursday afternoon, while her father, Ripon (40), passed away the same day, just hours later. All three had been hospitalized following the explosion early Wednesday morning.

The fire broke out at approximately 1:45 am on the ground floor of a six-storey building on Shaheed Faruk Road, near Khadimul Quran Mahila Madrasa in Jatrabari. 

Locals believe the explosion was caused by accumulated gas igniting, likely sparked by lightning a mosquito coil.

Neighbour Taslima Moni, who helped rush the victims to the hospital, said she and others heard a loud noise followed by screams. 

She said, “We broke into the house and found Ripon and the child severely burnt. We rescued all three and took them to the hospital immediately.”

Authorities suspect a gas leak led to the accumulation of flammable gas inside the home. An investigation is underway.

SMS/