Two people were killed and four others injured when the CNG cylinder of a private car exploded at a refuelling station in Nabinagar on the outskirts of the city on Thursday afternoon.

The victims were identified as Sajal Mia, 28, driver of the car, and Shamim Hossain, 27, a staff of the Delta CNG Filing Station, Officer-in-Charge Mohsinul Quadir of Ashulia Police Station told The Daily Star.

Both the victims hailed from Manikganj.

"The incident occurred around 4:00pm when the car was being refuelled at the gas station. Shamim, who was operating the fuel dispenser, died on the spot while Sajal died on the way to a hospital in Dhaka," said the OC.

The car was ripped apart by the explosion. No case was filed till yesterday evening, he added.

Shamsul Alam, chief inspector of the Department of Explosives, said they were investigating the incident and preliminary findings suggest the CNG cylinder was "defective."

"However, the exact cause of the explosion can be known after the investigation," he added.

Shamim left behind his wife and a two-and-a-half-year-old son, said Shamim's brother Hashem Mahmud.

"Now, his family has become helpless. The filling station must take care of his family."