The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Road communication between Farmgate and Shahbag remained disrupted for three hours from 3-30 pm yesterday as the underground gas pipe of the Titas gas distribution line in the middle of the road near the Bangla Motors intersection caught fire.

Panic surged the area soon after the outbreak of the fire .The leaping flame of fire gripped the commuters with panic and they ran helter skelter in all directions for safety.

The police later stopped the movement of traffic upto Bangla Motors intersection.

The suspension of the movement of all kinds of vehicles created heavy traffic jam from the National Press Club to the Rangs Bhaban near the old Tegaon airport causing immense sufferings of thousands of home bound commuters. Heavy traffic snarl was also noticed at Kawran Bazar and Hotel Sonargaon intersection.

The personnel of the Fire Brigade and Titas Gas Company came to the scene and extinguished the fire at around 5-45 pm after two hours of struggle.

When asked about the cause of the fire at the underground gas pipe line, an official of the Titas Gas Company said it could be ascertained only after proper investigation.

UNB adds - Four female employees of Igloo Ice cream factory fell sick after inhaling gas following a pipeline explosion in the city's Shyampur yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon.

Police said heavy smoke filled inside the factory when a gas pipe line of the ice cream factory at Kutubpur suddenly exploded with a big bang at about 1pm.

Four employees-- Rebecca, 16, Suma, 16, Rashida, 25, and Kabita, 16--engaged in making ice cream at that time fell unconscious due to inhaling the gas. They were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.