Gas cylinder explosion injures 13 of family

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: At least 13 persons, including five children, were reportedly injured following an “accidental” explosion of a gas cylinder in a house within Rajajinagar Police Station limits. According to sources close to the family, the condition of four persons among the injured is very critical.

The injured have been identified as Ajmal, 46, Nazeema, 42, Riyan, 14, Adnan, 12, Fayaz, 10, Meherunnisa, 11, Azaan, 5, Zainab 8, Amir Khan, 52, Shabana, 18, Naseema, 40, Salma, 33 and Reshma Bhanu, 48. They are under treatment at the Victoria Hospital here.

The incident took place on the first floor of a building situated on the 4th Cross, Mariyappanapalya in Bengaluru, where Ajmal's family has rented a portion. It is learnt that the family was hosting a function and had invited some relatives on Wednesday. After cooking dinner on Thursday night, they forgot to turn off the gas stove from which gas had leaked.

The explosion occurred when one of the relatives switched on a light around 6.30 am on Friday. The impact of the explosion caused cracks in the house and most of the furniture and valuables were destroyed. Fire Force and Emergency services personnel along with the jurisdictional police were alerted about the incident by the neighbours immediately.

The personnel extinguished the blazing fire and shifted the injured to hospital. The relatives and neighbours expressed disappointment that the ambulance took almost oneand-a-half hours to arrive at a spot centrally located in the city.