Lightning strike triggers gas-line riser fire at Tuku’s Sirajganj house

Firemen at work at the Sirajganj residence of Energya and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmud Tuku on Wednesday 9 Sept 2026.

Sirajganj, Sept 9 - A lightning strike triggered a fire at a gas-line riser at the residence of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku in Sirajganj on Wednesday, causing panic among local residents.

The incident occurred around 1:00pm when lightning struck the gas-line riser near the main gate of the minister’s residence at Hossainpur on Al Mahmud Avenue in Sirajganj municipality.

The strike caused a loud bang and set the riser on fire, prompting the gate guard and others at the residence to shout for help. Local people rushed to the spot but initially failed to extinguish the flames.

Officials and employees of the local gas office and members of the Fire Service later rushed to the scene and brought the fire under control after about an hour of efforts.

Sirajganj Fire Service Station Officer Md Shariful Islam said firefighters went to the minister’s residence after receiving information about the fire and brought it under control after about an hour.

No one was injured and no damage to the minister’s residence was reported, he said.

Regional Gas Office Manager Engineer Akhtar Jahan said the gas-line riser caught fire after being struck by lightning.

Meanwhile, lightning also struck a gas-line riser in the courtyard of the residence of NGO official Sabedul Islam at Baganbari in the same area, triggering another fire.

Firefighters and gas-line workers brought the blaze under control after considerable efforts. Part of a room was damaged in the incident, according to officials.

The two incidents caused panic in the area amid thunderstorms and heavy rain. - UNB