Ten people were injured after an air conditioner exploded at a barbershop in Old Dhaka’s Banshal area early Wednesday, with nine of them admitted to the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery.

The incident occurred at around 1:00 am at Arman Hair Cutting, a barbershop located in the Alu Bazar area on Haji Osman Gani Road.

The injured were taken to the burn institute at around 1:30am.

The victims include barbershop employees Shamsed, 30, Raju, 34, Pappu, 26, Arman, 37, and Shakib, 17, as well as customers Faruk, 35, Rinku, 30, Rony, 36, Jasim, 40, and Rafique, 25.

Residential physician of the NIBPS Dr Shawon Bin Rahman said Faruk sustained burns to 50 per cent of his body, making him the most seriously injured.

Rinku suffered 21 per cent burns, Raju and Pappu 18 per cent each, Shamsed and Arman 15 per cent each, Rafique 12 per cent, Rony 10 per cent, Jasim 8 per cent and Shakib 1 per cent.

Dr Shawon said that nine of the injured have been admitted to the hospital, while Shakib remains under observation in the emergency department because of his minor injuries.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately known.

Authorities are investigating the incident.