Staff Correspondent

Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company authorities have said that the blast at Sidddique Bazar in the city has no relation with gas leakage.

"Our findings from primary investigation indicate that the blast has no relation with any gas leakage," said Titas Gas director (operation) Selim Mia while talking to reporters following the visit of a team of his organisation to the blast site on Wednesday afternoon.

He said the Titas team has not found any presence of gas in the building which was partially damaged after the blast on Tuesday.

He said the team has examined the entire area but found no presence of natural gas.

"There was a gas-riser in the building, but it remained intact. Secondly, if there was any gas leakage, it would have led to a fire incident," Selim told reporters.

Earlier, at least 17 people were killed and over 100 others injured in a massive explosion in a 5-storey building near a BRTC bus counter at Siddique Bazar in Gulistan area of the capital.

Among the injured, 11 people have been undergoing treatment at the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

Three firefighting units resumed the rescue operation around 9 am, said Khaleda Yeasmin, duty officer of the Fire Service Control Room, around 11 am.

A four-member probe body headed by Lt Col Mohammad Tajul Islam Chowdhury, director of Fire Service and Civil Defense (Operation and maintenance), has been formed to investigate incident.

The committee has been asked to submit its report within five working days, said Shahjahan Sikder, Deputy Additional Director of Fire service and Civil Defense headquarters media cell.