As the rice boiler exploded with a bang at around 7:45am, the burning tank was flown onto a nearby hotel, killing Mahbubur Rahman, 20, and Naimul Haque, 14, on the spot while Jewel, 12, succumbed to his injuries on the way to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital.

Of the injured, mostly pedestrians and labourers, Lutfar Rahman, Abul Kalam Azad, Azad Ali, Manjoor, Sohel Rana, Uzzal, Manju and Nur Muhammad were rushed to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital. Lutfar's condition was stated to be critical.

The accident occurred as the boiler owner Nazrul Islam, son of union parishad member Nurul Islam Mollah, launched it without checking the steam pipelines, police said quoting experts.

Set up ten years ago, local upazila parishad renewed licence of the boiler after Nazrul Islam's name a couple of days back, sources said.

A case accusing Nazrul Islam has been filed with the Bagmara Police Station.