Fire in Dharavi after cylinder blasts in truck; no injuries

The fire occurred at 9.50 pm following explosions in a truck carrying dozens of gas cylinders near the PNGP Colony, officials said

Mumbai: A major fire broke out after a series of gas cylinder explosions near the Maharashtra Nature Park on the Sion Dharavi Link Road on Monday evening, with no reported injuries at the time of going to press. Nineteen fire tenders brought the fire, which was declared level II (medium emergency), under control, officials said.

Fire in Dharavi after cylinder blasts in truck; no injuries

The fire occurred at 9.50 pm following explosions in a truck carrying dozens of gas cylinders near the PNGP Colony, officials said. The truck driver’s identity has been established and work is underway to arrest him, officials added. At least four vehicles parked next to the burning truck were damaged.

“An LPG gas cylinder in the lorry exploded,” Santosh Sawant, deputy chief fire officer, told HT. “These cylinders are typically used for home deliveries, and one exploded, leading to the fire’s escalation. We dispatched five fire engines in accordance with the level II protocol. We have not yet received information on any injuries.”

The incident caused panic in the area and a major traffic jam on the arterial Sion Dharavi Link Road, officials said. Hundreds of residents gathered in the area after the blasts and shot videos of the blaze, which were shared on social media.

Ansarul Shaikh, a resident of Dharavi, said at least 20 cylinders exploded, although the fire brigade had not confirmed this at the time of going to press.

There were no injuries as pedestrians were luckily on the opposite side of the road and ran for cover after the blasts, while residents of nearby buildings evacuated, added Shaikh. “However, the police managed to control the crowd, and the fire brigade brought the fire under control,” he said.

Naeem Qureshi, another resident, said that residents of the Raju Darshan A1 and B2 buildings rushed out in panic but dispersed as soon as the situation was brought under control.

The cause of the cylinder explosions is being ascertained, officials said.