Seven, including 5 firefighters, injured in a cylinder blast in Delhi’s Jafrabad

Delhi Fire Services (DFS) chief Atul Garg said that the mishap took place around 7pm. Some houses close to the shop were evacuated as the fire engulfed two adjacent shops

At least seven persons, including five firemen, suffered burns and injuries due to a cooking gas cylinder blast that occurred after a fire broke out in a cooking gas stove repair shop in a thickly populated residential area in northeast Delhi’s Jafrabad on Friday evening. The condition of one of the firemen is serious, fire department officials said.

Eight fire tenders along with firemen from Tahirpur fire station rushed to the spot to douse the flames. While the firemen were carrying out the operation, a gas cylinder exploded in the shop where gas stoves were repaired. (Representational image/HT Archive)

The injured firemen were identified as Feroz, Sushil, Suresh, Rakesh and Mahabir. All of them were admitted to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital. The condition of Sunil is serious, said Garg.

Delhi Fire Services (DFS) chief Atul Garg said that the mishap took place around 7pm. Some houses close to the shop were evacuated as the fire engulfed two adjacent shops that sold groceries and mobile phones, and began spreading quickly.

Eight fire tenders along with firemen from Tahirpur fire station rushed to the spot to douse the flames. While the firemen were carrying out the operation, a gas cylinder exploded in the shop where gas stoves were repaired.

“As per information, till now seven persons, including five firemen have been injured and taken to the hospital. The blaze is under control. The people living in the affected buildings have been safely evacuated. It’s a thickly populated area and accordingly, all necessary precautions have been taken,” said deputy commissioner of police (northeast) Sanjay Kumar Sain.

The police said that an inquiry into the incident has been initiated to ascertain the exact cause of the fire and to find out if any illegal activity was being carried out in the shop. Further legal action will be taken accordingly, they said.

Last month, a 31-year-old fireman died of heart failure in Lok Nayak Hospital, 18 days after he suffered serious burns and other injuries during a firefighting operation at a paper plates manufacturing factory in Narela industrial area.