Bangladesh: Dozens injured in mosque explosion

At least 16 people were killed and more than 50 people were injured in an explosion at a mosque outside Dhaka on Friday night just as worshippers were about to end their prayers, authorities said.

The explosion, believed to be caused by the leakage of a gas pipeline that runs underneath the mosque, took place at Baitus Salat Jame Masjid in Narayanganj district, nearly 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) south of the Bangladeshi capital.

About 38 people were rushed to Dhaka's state-run specialized burn and plastic surgery hospital, with most of them sustaining 60% to 70% burns.

The mosque's imam and another senior cleric were among those with severe injuries being treated at the hospital, according to The Dhaka Tribune newspaper.

Read more: Gas explosion kills at least 19 in Tehran 

Gas leak suspected

A 7-year-old boy was among the victims, Samanta Lal Sen, a coordinator of the hospital was quoted as saying by the dpa news agency.

Several firefighting units were rushed to spot, and an investigation into the blast is underway.

"We are primarily suspecting that gas had leaked from the line and accumulated inside the mosque since the windows were shut. When the air conditioner was turned on, due to sparks the gas might have exploded," firefighting department official Abdullah Al Arefin was quoted as saying by the Daily Star newspaper.

Several air conditioners on the ground floor of the mosque exploded during the incident. A police bomb disposal unit also collected evidence from the scene to examine the nature of the blast.

adi/dj