Dhaka, Feb. 23 -- Nine members of a family, including three children, have suffered critical burn injuries after a powerful explosion sparked a fire in a flat in Chattogram's Halishahar during sehri.

The blast occurred at 4:31am on Monday at a third-floor flat of a six-storey building in Halishahar's H Block.

Neighbours said the explosion was followed by screams, with victims running out of the flat as flames engulfed them.

The injured have been identified as Ayesha, 4, Anas, 7, Aiman, 10, Shawon, 17, Sakhawat Hossain, 46, Shipon, 32, Suman, 40, Rani, 40, and Pakhi, 35. They were having sehri at the time of the incident.

Sakhawat, who runs a garage in Halishahar, had rented the flat about a year and a half ago. He lived there with his...