Kothakai SDM Ashwani Kumar suffers minor burns in cylinder blast

Shimla (HP), December 29

The Kothakai sub-divisional magistrate suffered minor burns when his top-floor apartment in Shimla’s Justa building caught fire in an LPG blast, police said on Friday.

SDM Ashwani Kumar was in the house when the incident happened on Thursday night.

The blast charred a part of his house and shattered all the windows and mirrors, police said.

The blast occurred around 3.15 am when the official woke up to drink hot water and lit a matchstick standing near the stove, according to a statement the SDM issued.

The moment he lit the matchstick, there was a blast and the whole kitchen caught fire.

Neighbours rushed to his house and controlled the fire by putting a wet cloth on the cylinder’s regulator, it said.