One killed, 36 injured in LPG cylinder blasts in Pinjore

Tribune News Service

Pinjore, November12

One person was killed and several others were struggling for life after a fire broke out in a house leading to two LPG cylinder blasts at Himshikha Colony here on Tuesday night. A total of 36 people were injured in the incident and 14 of them were admitted at PGI, Chandigarh, under critical condition.

Most of them suffered injuries while they were trying to rescue family members of the house owner after the first blast, when another cylinder burst.

Vikas Bhardwaj, a known boxer in the area, who entered the ill-fated house no. 349 with a fire extinguisher after first blast, died at PGI today morning.

House owner Kishan Pal Bansal, his two sons Vikas and Sachin, were among those who suffered more than 70 per cent burns.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh each for treatment to severely injured and Rs 50,000 each to others injured.

Such was the impact of the blasts that five adjoining houses were also damaged.

Manoj Kumar Sharma, Kishan Pal’s neighbour, said grandson of Kishan Pal was bursting crackers in front of the house while other family members were on the first floor, when fire broke out on the ground floor. Kishanpal, Vikas and Sachin along with their wives and a child came out of the house.

An LPG cylinder burst following which people from the colony gathered on the spot. Many of them, along with Kishan Pal and his son, entered the building with fire extinguishers, he said. In no time, another LPG cylinder lying in the house burst, injuring many people.

After the second blast the house collapsed and big flames started leaping out, injuring more people, said Sharma.

Sanjiv Sharma, another local resident, said hundreds of inhabitants rushed to the spot to rescue the injured. Two cars were immediately shifted to another place before the blast.

Two fire tenders took more than three hours to extinguish the fire.

A team of the CRPF personnel also reached to the spot to rescue the injured, he said.

Doctors at the PGI said the condition of five people, including Kishan Pal, his two sons and one Yogesh, was critical as they suffered more than 70 per cent burns.

According to the Deputy Commissioner, 14 people were admitted to the PGI while nine were being treated at Panchkula Civil Hospital.

One person was admitted at Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, he added.

The locals said many others were treated for minor injuries at Pinjore.

Boxer sacrifices his life

Vikas Bhardwaj (32), a boxer-trainer, died when he was trying to douse the flames. Rama Kant, owner of house no. 318, who also got burn injuries, said Bhardwaj successfully removed an LPG cylinder from the house. He was seriously injuring when another LPG cylinder he was trying to remove burst.

Murari Pandey, a local, said residents of the colony did not celebrate Diwali to mourn the tragedy.