2 minor victims of cylinder blast succumb to injuries

Two minor siblings who suffered severe burn injuries following a CNG cylinder explosion at a godown in northeast Delhi’s Sunder Nagri area died during treatment on Sunday, the police said.

The blast at the storage and repair unit on the ground floor of a four-storey residential building left four persons, including three minor siblings, seriously injured on Saturday afternoon. They were identified as Arshad (22), Sakib (7), Abbas (9), and Raja (3).

Sakib and Raja, who suffered over 85 per cent burns and were undergoing treatment at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, died on Sunday, according to the police.

Following the deaths, the police added Section 106(1) (death by negligence) of the BNS to the case registered at the Nand Nagri police station.

The police had earlier registered an FIR under Sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery), 125-A (endangering life or personal safety of others) and 326-G (causing grievous hurt by use of explosive substance) of the BNS.

Efforts are underway to arrest the owner of the godown, a police officer said.

The blast, which was reportedly triggered during a repair operation, was so powerful that it shattered the iron gate of the godown, with debris hitting the children who were playing nearby.