Three people have been burnt after an air conditioner explosion sparked a fire at a tailor’s shop in Dhaka’s Savar. At least seven people, including pedestrians, were injured by shards of broken glass when the glass door to the store shattered.

The incident occurred at the Adrita Fabrics and Tailors shop at Bahar Super Market in the Grenda Bus Stand area around 9pm on Monday.

Three nearby stores were also damaged in the incident.

The burn victims were identified as Adrita Fabrics owner Md Yusuf Khan, 40, his friend Nahid Hassan, 42, and customer Ansar Ali, 50.

Yusuf and Nahid have been admitted to Enam Medical College Hospital, while Ali has been sent to the Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute in Dhaka.

Saidul Islam, 30, Babu Mia, 24, Hassan Nahin, 48, Azad, 50, and Babul, 46, were taken to the Savar Upazila Health Complex for treatment while Maliha Khan, 26, and her husband Anik Hassan, 32, have been admitted to a local clinic.

Witnesses said that the indoor air conditioning unit at the shop exploded with a loud noise, blowing the tin shed roof off and sparking a fire that spread to nearby stores. Broken glass from the door of the store injured passersby. Locals rescued the burn victims and the injured and took them to the hospital.

“One of our units went to the scene once the incident was reported,” said Meherul Islam, warehouse inspector for the Savar Fire Service. “But the locals had already put out the fire by then.”

It is believed the air conditioner exploded due to a glitch.

Police are inspecting the scene, said Inspector Nayan Karkun of Savar Podel Police Station.

Higher authorities have been informed of the blast, he added.