Six people, including five kids, sustained critical injuries in a gas cylinder explosion near the National Development Fair at Ishwardi Upazila Parishad premises yesterday.

The victims are gas balloon vendor Bappi Hossain, 45, Tushar Hossain, 10, son of Bhodon, Alim Hossain, 13, son of Abu Syed, Sohan Hossain, 10, son of Nasim Uddin, Farhad Hossain, 12, son of Faruk Hossain, and Rabbi, 11, son of Rustom Ali of Ishwardi upazila headquarters.

An injured boy takes treatment at Ishwardi Upazila Health Complex. Photo: Star

The injured were taken to Ishwardi Upazila Health Complex from where five of them were sent to Rajshahi Medical College Hospital as their condition deteriorated, police said.

Bappi was selling gas balloons among children near the main gate of the fair, organised by Ishwardi upazila administration, when a gas cylinder exploded with a big bang, leaving five kids and the vendor injured, Officer-in-Charge of Ishwardi Police Station Azim Uddin said.

Remains of the exploded cylinder. Photo: Star

After the explosion people started to run here and there for shelter, said Ishwardi Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Jobayer Hossain.

Though the fair was hampered for quite sometime, later everything became normal as the day progressed, the UNO said, adding that the upazila administration has already taken steps to ensure proper treatment of the victims.