5 injured as generator spark at shop triggers blast in Abohar

Five persons were injured and four shops and a house were damaged in a massive explosion at a shop near Patel Park in Abohar on Tuesday night. The blast was reportedly triggered by a spark from a generator installed in a sugarcane juice shop.

The shop owner's family and two others were injured in the explosion. All victims were immediately admitted to a government hospital. One woman was referred to a higher medical facility after receiving preliminary medical aid.

SSP Gurmeet Singh, Abohar SP Ashwant Singh and other officials inspected the site. The SSP said sparks from a generator spread over the used oil lying on the floor had caused the blast, and hundreds of aerated water (soda) bottles also burst during the explosion. Operators of a banquet hall, located near the park, said viral reports of gas cylinder explosion on social media were not true.

Deepak Chugh, who runs a sugarcane juice business, his sister Pooja and his mother Neelam, along with a woman at another shop and another woman purchasing vegetables, sustained injuries in the explosion.

Witnesses said locals immediately rushed the injured to the hospital and alerted the Fire Department. Firefighters arrived at the scene and brought the fire under control. The gas cylinders kept on the premises were safely removed during the chaos; preventing a much bigger tragedy.