Dhaka, Feb. 26 -- At least 15 people have been burnt in an explosion and fire at a newly built gas station in Cox's Bazar's Kalatoli.

The blast occurred around 10:30pm on Wednesday at N Alam Filling Station after gas had been leaking for nearly three hours, said Cox's Bazar Sadar Model Police chief Shomi Uddin.

"Gas spread across about a kilometre, creating panic among residents," he told bdnews24.com..

Resident Shahidul Islam said, "The strong smell made it hard to breathe. We informed the fire service. Suddenly, around 10pm, a loud explosion occurred."

He added that flames spread to nearby structures, sparking fear among the 20,000 people living in adjacent neighbourhoods.

Additional District Magistrate Shahidul Alam said residents...