An explosion in the Bangladesh capital Dhaka’s Gulistan area on Tuesday claimed the lives of 17 people, while over a hundred people are reported to be injured.
Among the injured are the passengers of a local bus which was standing right next to the building where the blast was reported.
ALSO WATCH – 17 killed, over 100 injured as explosion rocks Bangladesh’s capital
Several pedestrians were injured too.
Due to a heavy toll of injured persons, Dhaka Medical College is reportedly struggling to cope up with the pressure of the incoming victims.
More nurses and doctors have been sent to Dhaka Medical College to treat patients.
Officials were also reported to be requesting locals to come forward to donate blood due to the sudden need for new blood units that emerged due to the massive blood loss of the victims of the explosion.
Dhaka blast: What caused the explosion?
The nature of the blast, whether spontaneous or a pre-planned terror attack, is not clear yet. The local residents, however, suspected that the chemicals illegally stored inside the building, mostly used as an office and business complex, might have sparked the blast.
“At first, I thought it was an earthquake. The entire Siddik Bazar area was shaken by the blast,” eyewitness Safayet Hossain, a local shopkeeper, told The Daily Star newspaper.
“I saw 20-25 people lying in the road in front of a damaged building. They were seriously injured and bleeding. They were crying out for help. Some people were running around in panic,” he said.
He added that the locals were carrying the injured in vans and rickshaws to the hospital.
Alamgir, who was close to the blast site, said, “After the loud noise, people quickly came out of the building. There was panic on everyone’s faces. The glass of the building’s windows shattered and fell onto the street. Many pedestrians on the street were injured.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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