In recent years, reports of gas explosions in Dhaka city and other places in Bangladesh are worryingly becoming more frequent. Whether it’s a residential building, market, warehouse, or business center, there is a looming threat of gas explosion. Several factors may trigger a gas blast and cause fatal damage to human lives and properties. Let’s take a look at what causes gas explosions and how to minimize the risks. Common Causes of Gas Explosions in Residential Buildings A residential building and flats in it face major risk when required safety measures against gas explosions are not taken. There have been many incidents of gas explosions in residential units simply due to carelessness and lack of proper measures. Here are some possible reasons for gas explosions in residential units. Gas Leaks One of the prime causes of gas explosions in residential buildings is gas leak. Apartments or houses use gas cylinders or direct gas lines. If there is a leak in the line or the cylinder, it might potentially cause explosions if the home unit doesn’t have good ventilation. Read More: Fire Safety in Apartments: Causes and Prevention Faulty Gas Appliances Gas appliances like cookers, stoves, ovens, or heaters can malfunction and cause gas leakage. If the gas stove or cooker is not properly connected to the gas line, it may leak gas and lead to explosions. In many residential buildings and apartments, people tend to use expired gas cylinders which may cause gas explosions. Poorly Maintained Gas Equipment The gas line and the cylinder can also be the source of gas explosion. For example, if the main supply line or the cylinder gets corroded, it might end up leaking gas at different spots. Such leakages may culminate into explosions in contact with fire or sparks. Air conditioners and refrigerators are equipped with non-supply gas storage or operated systems. Without proper maintenance, these appliances may deteriorate over time and cause fatal consequences. Improper Installation Gas units should always be installed under the supervision of a trained professional. Improper installation may lead to gas leaks. It’s better to avoid DIY procedures to avoid gas leaks and subsequent explosions. Read More: Workplace Fire Safety: 12 Effective Ways to Prevent Fire Hazards Faulty Connections  In many cases, gas leaks in residential buildings and apartments are caused by faulty connections in the gas pipeline. When the gas, trapped in a closed room or space, comes in contact with flame or spark, it can cause an explosion. Natural Disasters Natural disasters can also be possible causes of gas explosions. In the event of a natural disaster like cyclone, earthquake, or flood, gas lines or cylinders can leak which might lead to explosions. 

A gas explosion Monday at a southeast Missouri home killed one person and injured nine others, authorities said. The explosion happened around 7 a.m. in Wyatt, a town of about 280 people that's about 130 miles (210 kilometers) south of St. Louis, Capt. Barry Morgan with the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office said. He said authorities were trying to determine whether a water heater or stove were to blame. He identified the person killed only as a man in his mid-20s. Nine other people — the youngest just 6 months old — had serious or critical burn injuries. Several were flown to hospitals in St. Louis and Memphis, Tennessee. Also read: Officials: Fire at Coptic church in Cairo kills 41, hurts 14 “That is a ton of people in a house," he said. “So that’s what we’re trying to determine why there were so many people in there, because when I arrived on scene, it was just there was victims lying everywhere, badly burned." The garage of a neighboring home also caught fire, but no one inside that structure was hurt, Morgan said. Also read: Deputy coroner: House explosion in southern Indiana kills 3 The State Fire Marshal and a state propane commission were investigating.

Three members of a family sustained burns in a fire triggered by a cooking gas pipeline explosion in their flat in old Dhaka in the early hours of Tuesday. The injured have been identified as Kamal, 35, his wife Selina, 30, and their seven-year-old child Bonya. The three injured are being treated at Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery. Also read: Jatrabari explosion: 1 succumbs to burns The explosion occurred around 1.35am at their ground-floor apartment in a five-storey residential building in the Najirabazar area of old Dhaka. "The explosion led to the collapse of a wall on the floor and damaged walls in adjoining flats. Five units of fire tenders took nearly two and a half hours to douse the flames, said Rafi Al Faruque Duty Officer (media), Fire Service and Civil Defense Headquarters. Also read: 6 suffer burns in Jatrabari gas cylinder explosion Fortunately, other residents of the building are safe, said the fire service official.

An apparent gas explosion gutted part of a high rise in northern China on Thursday morning, killing at least three people and injuring 30. It occurred at a hotel in Shenyang, a city of more than 8 million people and a major industrial center that is in the process of renovating and replacing decaying gas lines, state media reported. Images posted online by news website The Paper and state broadcaster CCTV showed a cloud of dust and debris blowing onto a busy street, leaving the bottom three floors of the building a gutted shell. Concrete blocks were piled in the street and a three-wheeled delivery vehicle lay on its side. Read: China's economic growth weakens amid construction slowdown China is replacing decades-old infrastructure, with gas lines an especially dangerous part of the project. In June, a gas line explosion at a market and residential area in the central city of Shiyan killed 25. That blast appeared similar to one that occurred in the northeastern port of Qingdao in 2013, in which 55 people were killed when underground pipelines ripped open following a leak. Along with the deteriorations caused by age, weak adherence to safety standards, poor maintenance and corruption among enforcement bodies are all considered contributors to such disasters. Among China's worst accidents was a massive 2015 explosion at a chemical warehouse in the port city of Tianjin that killed 173 people, most of them firefighters and police officers.

The death toll from Sunday's Moghbazar building blast rose to 11 as another man succumbed to his burn injuries at Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) on Thursday noon. The deceased was identified as Md Russell, 21, son of Jasim Uddin, an employee of Bengal Meat, hailing from Thakurgaon district. Russell sustained 90 percent burns in the explosion on June 27 and since then he had been undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit of Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery of the DMCH. Read: Moghbazar blast: Death toll rises to nine He breathed his last around 2:15 pm today, said Dr Partha Shankar Pal, resident medical officer of the hospital. His body has been kept at the hospital morgue for autopsy, said Md Bachchu Mia, police inspector at the DMCH police camp. Earlier in the day, Mohammad Nur Nabi, 30, a van-puller, died while undergoing treatment at the same hospital. On Sunday evening, seven people were killed and more than 66 others injured after a powerful explosion ripped through a building near Moghbazar Wireless Gate. On Tuesday, firefighters pulled out the body of a 65-year-old security guard from the debris of a three-storey building where the deadly blast occurred. Read:Moghbazar blast: Another body found in debris; death toll stands at 8 Besides, another victim, Imran Hossain, succumbed to his injuries at the burn unit of the hospital on Wednesday. Meanwhile, police formed a seven-member committee to investigate the blast. The committee has been asked to investigate the explosion and recommend prevention of such incidents in the future.  It will also coordinate with the committee formed by the Fire Service and Civil Defence. Both the committees have seven working days to submit their reports. Read:Moghbazar blast: Police file case against unknown persons