Rescuers, onlookers become victims

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 26

It was an unfortunate day for the residents of Samrat Colony, Giaspura, where a majority of population comprises migrants from UP and Bihar. Extending a helping hand to the members of their community proved fatal for many residents when an explosion took place in the house after an LPG leak. Most of the injured were engaged in a rescue operation.

As many as 34 persons, including 10 women, suffered burns. Sunita succumbed to injuries at the CMCH in the evening.

The explosion was so intense that the rear wall of the house was completely blown away and the iron gate crumpled. The explosion also caused cracks in the walls of nearby houses.

What exactly happened

Rakesh Kumar, an eyewitness, said there was a power shutdown at 6.30 am. Ashok Yadav, a worker in Avon cycle-manufacturing unit, was getting ready to go for work. His wife Sunita, who works in some factory, was preparing breakfast. ‘‘The moment she noticed a fire in the gas pipe, she called her husband. Her husband dragged the gas cylinder into the room to douse the flame but the intensity of fire continued to increase. When flames engulfed the woman, they raised the alarm. The local residents reached there and started fetching water and sand to douse the flames.

“Around 6.45 am, power supply was restored, which actually caused the explosion. Five members of the family and several local residents, who were inside or close to the house, were affected by the explosion. I, too, was standing near the house but somehow I had a miraculous escape,” the eyewitness said.

Of the 34 injured, five members of the family at whose house the blast took place are Ashok Yadav (58), his daughters Kajal (19) and Pooja (20) and son Raj (13). His wife Sunita (40) died at the hospital.

Malti, whose husband Rakesh Kumar, son Rajan, brother-in-law Uttam and relative Laxman have suffered severe burns, was crying outside the critical care ward of Civil Hospital. She said after hearing about the fire in the house, her husband and relatives rushed to douse the flames. But it was unexpected that they would also became the victims.

Ludhiana Mayor Balkar Singh, MLA Surinder Dawar and MLA Balwinder Bains visited the hospital to enquire after the victims. Dawar said the Chief Minsiter had announced that the expenses on victims’ treatment would be borne by the government.

Before Dawar’s announcement, the kin of the injured created a hue and cry outside the hospital, alleging lack of proper treatment at the hospital.

Owner’s brother leaves house 10 minutes before explosion 

Dharminder, brother of Ashok Yadav, left home at 6.35 am when his brother told him to fetch milk from the market. “Ten minutes after I had left home, I heard the sound of a blast in the street. When I rushed to the spot, I saw members of my family and local residents were crying for help. It was a heartrending scene, children were searching for their parents and others were trying to pacify their critically burnt kin,” he said.

Ambulance takes time, cops ferry victims in police, private vehicles 

Focal Point SHO Amandeep Brar said after the explosion, a PCR team from the police station was the first to know about the incident, following which he immediately reached the spot and started a rescue operation. “As the ambulance was taking time to reach, we shifted the victims to our police van and a private vehicle and rushed them to the hospital,” he added. The SHO said it was an accident and the police suspected no foul play. The police would register a DDR in the case.

Spare cylinder intact

During a visit to the house, it was found that there was a spare LPG cylinder lying in the house. Had it also exploded, casualties could have been many more.