Gulistan building turned risky after blast: Home Minister

The Gulistan building has turned risky as its ground floor was badly damaged after the blast, said Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Wednesday.

“The five-storey building has turned risky and the whole building may collapse if pressure is created on it. So rescue operation in the basement should be started after creating a stable situation,” he said while talking to reporters after visiting the spot.

Damages in the building after the blast would not have been so much if it had been constructed following the building code, said Asaduzzaman.

When asked about the reason behind the explosion, the minister said the actual reason behind the incident will be known after investigation.

He also urged people to refrain from constructing buildings without taking proper approval from different agencies concerned.

Earlier, on Tuesday, 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 in the capital’s Gulistan area.

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