Three people suffered burn injuries in a suspected gas explosion at a house in Dhaka’s Kalabagan early today.

The injured -- Rana, 22, Jewel, 20, and Parvez, 21, -- were taken to the burn unit of Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The incident occurred around 12:00am at a house owned by Abul Bashar on Box Culvert Road in the Free School Street area.

Furniture trader Imran Hossain Rajib, who took the injured to hospital, said the three men worked at different furniture shops in Panthapath.

Jewel lives in the house with his family. However, as his family had gone to their village home, he invited his friends Rana and Parvez to stay with him last night. A blast occurred shortly afterwards.

Doctors at the burn unit said Rana suffered burns to 63 percent of his body, while Jewel and Parvez suffered burns to 30 percent and 21 percent of their bodies respectively.

Rana has been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Furniture trader Rajib said the house is a seven-storey building with a septic tank directly beneath Jewel's ground-floor room. The floor of the room was always unusually hot, and Jewel's family had repeatedly informed the landlord, but no action was taken.

He also said a smell of gas could often be detected while passing the building.