Five passengers, including a five-year-old child, sustained burn injuries when a CNG-run autorickshaw caught fire while they were returning home after receiving medical treatment in Cumilla's Daudkandi. Among the injured, the condition of three individuals has been reported as critical.
The incident took place around 12:30 AM on Tuesday at the entrance of the upazila health complex. The victims have been identified as Billal Hossain (80), Ayesha Begum (60), Yasmin Akter (30), Md Alam (50), and Monira Akter (5), all hailing from Bitara village under Kachua upazila of Chandpur district.
Initially, they were treated at the Daudkandi Upazila Health Complex. However, as their conditions deteriorated, Billal Hossain, Ayesha Begum, and Yasmin Akter were transferred to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital for advanced care.
Dr. Md. Rashed Alam of the Daudkandi Upazila Health Complex told Chitra Post that three of the five burn victims are in critical condition, with approximately 40 percent of their bodies burnt.
According to family sources, little Monira Akter, daughter of Zainal Abedin from Bitara village, accidentally inserted a small stick into her nose while playing at home. To have it removed, family members brought her to the emergency department of the Daudkandi Upazila Health Complex at night. After successful treatment, Monira and her family members boarded the autorickshaw to head back home.
It is suspected that the fire originated from the vehicle's gas cylinder as the autorickshaw was moving from the health complex entrance onto the Dhaka-Chittagong highway. While five passengers sustained burns, two other child passengers, named Aria and Arif, miraculously escaped unhurt.
Prem Lal Das, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Daudkandi Highway Police Station, rushed to the scene upon receiving news of the fire.
