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Ludhiana: Five suffer burn injuries in LPG cylinder explosion at tea stall
The compressor of a refrigerator kept in the shop also exploded due to the blast. The victims were rushed to different hospitals by the locals, where the condition of two of the victims, including the tea stall owner, is stated to be serious
At least five men suffered burn injuries after an LPG gas cylinder exploded at a tea stall in Gobindpura Mohalla near Vishwakarma Chowk, one of the busiest crossroads of the city, on Thursday.
The compressor of a refrigerator kept in the shop also exploded due to the blast. The victims were rushed to different hospitals by the locals, where the condition of two of the victims, including the tea stall owner, is stated to be serious.
After the explosion, the fire engulfed the shop. At least six two-wheelers parked in the repair shop adjoining to the tea stall were reduced to ashes. The fire brigade took at least 30 minutes to douse the flames.
The injured have been identified as tea stall owner Raju, Naval, Dhanna Singh, Dharminder Singh and Manjit Singh. Condition of Raju and Naval is stated to be serious.
According to eyewitnesses, they noticed a strong gas leak from the tea stall and went to alert him. As they stepped out of the shop, the cylinder exploded and the whole shop caught flames. The tea stall owner and five others did not get time to come out of the shop.
The fire brigade officials stated that the incident suggested that after the blast in the LPG cylinder, compressor of the refrigerator also exploded, which intensified the flames following which six vehicles at repair shop also caught flames.
Inspector Balwinder Kaur, SHO at Division number 6 police, stated that the police are investigating to find the reason behind the explosion. The prima facie suggested that due to leakage in the pipe, the cylinder caught flames and exploded.
Locals said that clouds of smoke engulfed the area. Manpreet Singh, a local trader, stated that the intensity of the explosion was so strong that they felt vibrations.
“I assumed it was a bomb blast. I rushed out of the office and found it was a LPG cylinder blast,” he added.
