Residents block Hoshiarpur-Jalandhar road after LPG blast

Villagers and local residents blocked the Hoshiarpur-Jalandhar road at Adda Mandialan to protest against the administration over the explosion caused by fire in a gas tanker-pickup truck collision on Friday night. The protesters alleged that gas was being siphoned off in connivance with the people who owned LPG tankers. They said tankers were illegally parked on roadsides and gas extracted and sold. They demanded that a high-level investigation be conducted in this case and strict action be taken against culprits.

The protesters demanded that the responsibility of the accident be fixed and strict action be taken against the LPG plant management and other responsible for the mishap. They said the people, who suffered losses in the fire, should be given adequate compensation. They alleged that no ambulance or fire tender was sent to the spot by the HP LPG plant. They said an investigation into why the tanker laden with gas was being taken away from the plant on a different route must be conducted.

Protesters alleged that machines had been installed at two private places at a short distance from the plant to extract LPG from tankers. They said repeated complaints had been sent to the police and the administration, but no action was taken in this connection.

On learning about the road block, SDM Gursimranjit Kaur, Naib Tehsildar Hirdevir Singh and other senior officials reached the spot and assured protesters that the matter would be thoroughly investigated and no culprit will be spared. They the Punjab Government would provide help to families of the deceased and injured. The police present on the spot said a case had been registered in this regard and a thorough probe would be conducted into the matter. On receiving assurances from officials the protesters lifted the road block.

Lok Sabha MP Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal, former minister Mahinder Kaur Josh, and former Shamchaurasi MLA Pawan Kumar Adia also reached the spot and assured protesters of all possible help.

Recalling the horror

One of the victims, who had his father, mother, sister and wife seriously injured, alleged that the tanker was to be parked around 1 km away from the LPG plant. He said drivers used to steal gas from tankers and sell it illegally. He said all his family members except him and his four-year-old son, had suffered serious burns and were lingering between death and life at a private hospital.

The fire reduced goods in shops and houses to ashes. An owner of Ashwin Boutique said all equipment, clothes and dresses inside her shop were reduced to ashes. The owner said she had suffered a loss running into lakhs of rupees.

A chicken shop, a chemist shop, a flour mill and a two-wheeler repair shop were also got gutted in fire. At least 10 bikes that were parked in shop for repairs were charred. Electricity meters of many shops and houses got damaged. The power and water supply was badly hit today, adding to the misery of villagers.

What experts say

Experts said the LPG turned into vapours. Being heavier than air, it settled down and moved with the wind, they said. Since it was night and lights were on in every house, the vapours in the air got ignited from the spark in switches that were on, resulting in fire in rooms where people were sitting even in far off places, they said. This led to damage in 7 km radius of the site of the explosion, the experts said.